Resident Evil: Beginnings
by Angelica burrows
Summary: The Arklay facility is being constructed.Spencer is replacing his employees,but Marcus does not wish to give up his work so freely.Trent and Angelica Burrows have no idea that the power struggle is only the Beginning. pre RE1.Assassination of James Marcus
1. Chapter 1

Resident Evil: Beginnings

Prologue- Paint it Black

The room was blindingly white, computer screens filling the walls of the spacious area. Men and

Women in lab coats milled about quietly, some holding charts, other conversing within their own

tiny circles. It seemed strange, that even within a scientific world there would be cliques. But as in

the common world, so beaucracy reigns within various teams and factions. This was the Umbrella

Corporation and they were the future.

Or so they thought.

Chapter one

Marvelous Things

The Arctic is frigid, or beyond so from the point of view from a warm blooded, woman from the Southern part of the hemisphere. Angelica Burrows, one of the top biological enhancement scientists, shivered in her office chair. After being transferred from the office in New York, the woman thought she had mastered cold weather, but she was wrong. Even though the office temperature was a comfortable seventy five degrees; she could seem to feel any draft that was present within the facility. Grumbling to herself as she pulled her arms all the way into her long sleeves. Eyeing the computer screen that splayed out in front of her, azure eyes scanned the quick stream of information that was spilling out onto the page. She was a fast reader, always

had been.

At a young age, her IQ levels had been off the charts, prompting an anonymous tutoring donor to draw attention to her and her family. At the age of fourteen she had graduated high school; at the age of eighteen, college. Quickly after she had been contacted by the CEO of the Umbrella Corporation,Ozwell . He was impressed with her credibility, and had offered her a position within their biogenetics department. It had been seven years, and even after that, she still felt a little out of place. Now within her mid twenties, the woman had easily made her way through the ranks. Now the head scientist of her department, the still relatively young woman hardy looked the part. Her long, blonde hair was always slung into a messy pony tail, her bright, sky blue eyes always containing a gentleness that most had abandoned after the first year of settling in. Known for her humane, yet effective, way of experimentation, Angelica had been nicknamed "Angel" for her superior intuition. Almost everyone got along with the outgoing girl, almost everyone..A tall shadow loomed behind her, casting it's flickering form over the bright screen. Raising an eyebrow, Angelica slowly swiveled within her desk chair. "_I'll have those serotonin reports in by the end of the day, William."_

William Birkin stood straight, his arms folded within a professional stance. His dark eyes seemed to shine with the fact that he was annoying her. This man was one of Spencer's "pets" ,as the rest of the staff would refer to him as. He had been a child prodigy, and friend of the Ashfords, the right hand family and main sponsor of Ozwell and his company. He had joined early on, becoming a rather endowed scientific mind of the Umbrella Corporation. In layman's terms, he was everyone's boss. Angelica ran her fingertips though some of her stray strands of hair, pushing them from her face as she looked up at the man. A coy smile graced her full lips before she turned back to her work. "_Where's your shadow today?" _

Birkin huffed at her comment, no matter how true it was. Of course, she was referring to his long time coworker and friend, Albert Wesker. Wesker was a man of few words, but William could understand him even if he wasn't speaking. They had joined the Corporation as the tender age of seventeen, and had been trainees within the same program. The young men had bonded well, and eventually had become assigned as district managers for the various experimental facilities across the North American seaboard. Everyone seemed to be on edge when they came through for inspections, all except the woman before him. She had been assigned project manager for quite some time, and had gotten used to William's cynicism, and Wesker's criticism. _"I am right here ,Miss Burrows."_

A gravelly voice caused both to turn towards the doorway. Albert Wesker leaned against the doorway, the ever present , silver aviators hiding the ice blue eyes that lay behind. The man had a presence, Angelica would give him that. The man was tall, hair a white, blonde that was constantly slicked back into perfection. His piercing blue eyes made most of the female staff swoon, along with a fighter's body that was toned and fit. It made Burrows laugh at some of the antics the younger women around her enacted to try and draw his attention. An emotionless attitude masked most of what Wesker felt about the attention, but he was a genius in his field despite appearances. His cool demeanor clashed with Angelica at times, but both had managed to work together...civilly. Looking to the heavens as if in prayer briefly, Angelica stared at both her superiors with icy eyes.

Pausing the computer feed forcefully, her white hands clasped upon her lap in apparent annoyance."_ Surely this isn't a social call , boys. And my deadline on the data isn't due for another six hours..so..." _Wesker pushed off the door, his gloved hand retrieving a compact file folder that he had been clasping to his side. Tossing it towards her, the man sat comfortably in another desk chair that was stationed at an unused terminal. She caught it deftly, opening it in one, fluid motion. Seconds ticked by as her almond eyes flitted across the pages, widening as she concluded her skim through. "_Is this a probable hypothesis?" _Birkin slowly nodded, unfolding his arms to slip his hands within his pockets. "_The Progenitor strain could open a new world of opportunities for mankind. But we need someone who has the knowledge to synthesize and put it through the proper trials. It could take weeks, it could take years..But Spencer was explicit on getting You as the head scientist." _

The woman's mouth shifted slowly, eyes averting back towards the paused screen behind her. She had been here for almost three years, trying to re-write the basic structure of plants and animals to survive in weather conditions that weren't inherent to natural habitat. All her work would be handed to someone else..as she relocated to somewhere she did not know. Sighing inwardly, she looked at both of the men before her, gripping the papers within her hand. After the last statement, Angelica knew she really didn't have a choice.. If she stayed there, it more than likely would be the last chance for any advancement for a long time...

Setting her jaw, Angelica directed her gaze towards the silent man in the chair adjacent hers. A smug smile was curving at his thin lips, causing her immaculate eyebrows the furrow in confusion. Then the question hit her.. "_And who exactly would be project manager on this?" _Wesker moved forward upon his seat, his long fingers steepling together in a sign of glee. Well, a sign of glee for him at least. "_Our propriator,James Marcus, William here, and myself our course_..."

Angelica eyed him carefully, her face giving no reaction to the information that he had laid before her. Wesker shifted in his seat, the woman's calculating stare becoming unusually and increasingly present within his sights. It made him ...uncomfortable, and that was a feat indeed. Swallowing, the woman tersed her mouth, now staring at William as she stood. "_And where is exactly is this facility going to be located?"_ Birkin clipped back, his impatience at her answer finally showing through his professionalism. "_The main facility will be under construction for some time, but the temporary base will be outside a small town named Raccoon. It will be located near the mountain range of Arklay." _ Slowly Angelica looked down at the files before her, an old burning tugging at her interest. She had grown complacent with her plants over the last few years..and now the familiar burning of excitement ran through her veins.

Sucking in her breath, words came flooding out before she could even give time to analyze the variables. "_When do you need me.."_ Wesker stood up triumphantly, his hands folded behind his back. A blonde eyebrow raised over the sunglasses, giving Angelica the mental impression that he had already known her answer from the beginning. "_Your plain will be leaving at o' eight hundred hours tomorrow morning. We will be meeting you there, my dear." _ The two men turned to leave, quietly talking between themselves whilst doing so. Clearing he throat, Angelica spoke over them, causing the pair to turn in surprise. "_The virus is unstable..it's tectonic and symmetrical variables constantly shifting in genetic code. How do you expect me to do this alone, and without my assistant?" _

Drawing off his sunglasses, Wesker gave his partner a sidelong glance. William returned his gaze and turned back towards their new coworker. "_You may bring one of your personal assistants. No more. Any other accommodations and information will be exchanged tomorrow morning at the facility. Good evening, Miss Burrows." _Sitting back into her chair, Angelica watched the two men leave, her eyes narrowing slowly. Turning back towards her computer, she stared blankly at file folder before her. She was going to have to contact Lisa...

…

"_Kiyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaa"_

Sunlight streamed from a window upon the left side of the room, illuminating the source of the

overly loud cry. A punching bag was hanging in the middle of the room, taking an obvious

amount of damage as a woman in tights landed blow upon blow. Having already packed,

Angelica decided to enjoy a few last hours in her quarters before saying a final goodbye. Her hair

was swept back into a common bun, it's tight coils lumped upon her head in a golden mass.

Sweat gleamed off her skin, causing an ear bud she had attached to her ear to slip on occasion.

Finally stopping to take a light breather, Angelica sat down upon a plush chair, her legs swung

over one of the arm rests. Planting her arms behind her head as a self made pillow, the woman

kept her conversation skills despite panting heavily. "_I'll be transferring within the week. Yes, I'm_

_bringing Lisa back with me. I'm not positive, but the look on her face said she couldn't wait to be_

_back in the states. Personally I'm looking forward to short sleeves again. Don't worry, Trent. I'll _

_be on the next plain outa here, I won't be late." _Smiling to herself, the woman sat back up to grab

a half filled bottle of water of the coffee table.

Trent had been like a dad to her over the last few years. He and James Marcus headed the training facility she had attended for orientation after being signed on. He was tall, with crinkly blue eyes and a reassuring smile. But he was far more than that. Before Umbrella had managed to snag him, Trent had been one of the top metaphysicists in N.A.S.A, far exceeding many an intellect that he was training. Both he and she had the same sense of humor and outlook on life, making them fast friends and eternal mentors to one another.

Gulping down some of the refreshing liquid, Burrows wiped the splatter from her mouth, chuckling at her friend on the other line. "_I've missed you too. I'm so glad we will be working together again. Hey..I've gotta go, but I'll see you when we touch down in Raccoon?" _ Her smile widened as they said goodbyes, slipping off the earpiece and placing it upon the clear table. Sighing as she searched her surroundings, Angelica bgean making her way to the bathroom. A quick shower

was in order before she left..

…

"_Oh my God , Angel, you should see this veiw!"_

Lisa couldn't sit still in her chair, constantly peaking out the window from time to time. Angelica groaned, waving an arm at her friend before rolling her head the other direction for more rest.

The overlays had been terrible for her, jetlag having kicked in on the first flight and never left.

The time zones had thrown her sleep cycle off, as well as her stomach's, and Burrows was in no

mind for seeing the "view." Trevor, however, had been as energetic as ever, leaving the other

woman with one conclusion. Next time she would be tranquilizer darts. The thought crossed Angelica's mind, but only in jest. In truth, Trevor had become one of her best friends after being stationed at the Arctic Facility, her bubbly personality hard not to like. Unfortunately she had one draw back...she was a chatter box and hopeless romantic. Constantly trying to marry Angelica off,

Lisa would only save one man for herself, Albert Wesker. Much to her friend's dismay, the woman swooned whenever he was brought up, most of her conversations revolving around his "pretty ole blues."

Poking the limp woman beside her, Lisa snorted gently, her bright, brown eyes wide with

excitement. "_Wake up sleeping beauty, we're almost there!" _ A searching hand planted upon her

face, mussing the red hair in an exaughsted attempt to acknowledge her presence. Muffled

behind the fingers, Trevor tried to detach herself. "_Uh, honey, you got your hand on my face.." _

Sleepy blue eyes slanted open, opening up in a wide, bleary apology. "_I'm sorry...uh...yea.."_

Sitting up further in her seat, Angelica blew some of her tousled hair out of her face. Sure

enough, the pilot made his announcement, prompting both females to refasten their buckles.

Minutes later, the women were exiting with their carry ons, the cool, mountain breeze rustling

through their forms. A black limousine had been parked at the edge of the landing strip, the driver

now extending the car doors open for the pair. Sliding into the slick, leather seats, both women

were taken aback by the luxury that they were experiencing. "_Well,doll,I think we hit the big time!" _

Chuckling gently, Lisa ran her hand over the soft fabric of the vehicle. Angelica paid no mind to

her for the time being, he wide eyes locked upon the view that her friend had been raving about

earlier. The trees were in full fall bloom, golden yellows and rouge reds blazing throughout the

foliage that covered the mountain side. Birds migrated South, leaving skyward trails of their flock

to be watched in wonder. Burrows took in the nature around them with reverie, the pleasure of

knowing this would be normality from now on painted a smile across her tired face. They would be located on the outskirts of Raccoon, towards the mountain range. Only wildlife and hikers would be out in that area,leaving it untouched by the industrial plagues of man. Sucking in an awed breath, Angelica turned back towards Lisa with excitement lighting up her eyes. "_You know, I think you're right.."_

Spencer settled into is plush chair, a crystaline glass of alcohol nestled into his left hand. He hadn't been too keen on turning one of his winter houses into an underground facility, but after Marcus had laid the ground plans, it had begun to grow on him. Besides, it had been quite some time before he had designed a security system ... Smiling genuinely at the two men sitting in front of him, the older man extended his free hand. William Birkin met his grasp, handing over a small file folder of information. Flipping through the small booklet of papers, Spencer looked surprised. "_You actually convinced her to join the program? To be honest I had thought my request was more of a wild goose chase.." _Wesker leaned forward from the comfort of his seat, folding his hands in front of him in the familiar pose of discussion. "_Miss Burrows has a unique way of getting her job done. I do suggest that we only utilize her during stage two of the progress." _William nodded in confirmation of his friend's statement, tapping one of the paper's edge. "_She is known for a strict code of ethics, it may get in the way of some of the tests we wish to run. Are you sure this is our scientist, Ozwell?" _ Taking a sip of his beverage, Spencer savored the burning taste as it slid down his throat. Averting his eyes to his proteges, the ceo paused briefly before continuing his conversation. "_Did you see what she did reviving the ancient cells of those plants that actually contained the Progenitor? She can manipulate DNA better than any mind I have come across in my carreer. And she has the highest IQ that has been recorded within out faction. That includes usurping you two as well.." _Birkin and Wesker gave each other a side long glance, not having known this information the entire time they had dealt with the woman. James Marcus had been the primary researcher upon the project, only referring to those he felt he could trust with the information. Research on the various virus strains had been active since 1977, but only almost ten years later, had the research blossomed into something tangible. Ozwell replaced the file on the top of the table between them, scooting the article towards the two men. William took the file from the polished, wooden furniture, eyeing them with a bored interest. Wesker's expression remaining cool in nature, only trying to gauge Spencer's true motive. The business tycoon's funding for Bio Organic Weaponry was unheard of in the field, and had raised several questions within the Umbella's employees. The older man smiled. It wasn't the smile of an honest man, tipped with the sharp steel of industrial malevolence. Looking at his protégés sternly, Ozwell Spencer lifted his glass towards the two men. "_After stage two, if she becomes a problem, we will…dispose of said problem promptly. Now, gentlemen, we have more pressing matters to discuss." _Withdrawing a secondary file folder, Spencer sent the object skidding towards Wesker's side of the table. Both opposite men raised their eyebrows. _This _was going to be an interesting conversation. They could just feel it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Wrapping arms about herself, Angelica stared at her new home. After being escorted to the residential area, both she and Lisa had finally separated for some down time before the mandatory meeting later that morning. The Raccoon Training Facility had been losed down for several years, but now quietly reopened to gather the scientist team that would be transferred to the soon to be opened Arklay Mountain labs. The room was dusty, to say in the least. Arming herself with a damp rag, Angelica began wiping the various furniture. Spencer's love for antiquities did have a colorful splash whenever the man had a hand in designing any particular structure. She could only imagine what the mansion looked like…

Tossing the now dirty washcloth into the wastebasket, Angelica patted down her bed. Clean bedding felt smooth under her fingertips. Perhaps there was a maid who didn't believe in dusting did work here after all..

Plumping down one of her many suitcases, the woman unzipped and rifled through the items within before picking some attire from the now rumpled pile. Moving to the small desk that stood in front of the wall across from the bed, Angelica began to unbutton her sweater. A personal computer terminal sat upon the desk, the light blinking upon the keyboard confirming that the machine was indeed connected to a power supply. Switching to using one hand for her clothing task, Angelica used the other to press the power switch. The computer whined to life, the prominent Umbrella logo flashing upon the screen. Raising an eyebrow as she tossed the sweater behind her, Angelica slipped on the white tank top she had chosen over her sleek body. Typing with one hand and brushing her hair from her eyes, the woman used her company information to log into the outdated system. After a matter of seconds, all her main research information and files splayed out in cold format. Smiling in satisfaction, Angelica shut down the machine, pleased that she would be able to do some of her work in a private environment. A sharp knock on the door caused the woman to jump from her seat surprised. Rushing to answer the persistent noise, Angelica nearly tore the door open. Lisa stood grinning like a child, but her mouth quickly shifted into an expression of horror. "_Honey…what Are you wearing?"_ Angelica looked down at her attire, eyes wide at the question. She had been in the middle of a change when the computer had caught her attention… A semi short business suit skirt hugged her long legs, but the sleep shirt looked completely out of sorts. Or at least, she considered tank tops sleep shirts. Living somewhere cold had forced the shorts loving woman to turn turtleneck, and had never been seen in anything less than two layers since. Burrows' cheeks turned dark pink as she looked up at her friend. She hadn't shown this much skin in public since her teenage years. "_I suppose I should get my sweater…" _ Lisa cut her off by a sudden jerk of the hand, nearly knocking Angelica off her feet. Literally dragging her from the room, Trevor kept pulling hastily. "_No time! We are due to be at the orientation meeting in five minutes!" _ Burrows gasped, sliding sloppily into the shoes she had kicked off earlier. Throwing her long, gold hair into a high ponytail, the woman slammed her door shut. All done with an urgent assistant clinging and yanking on her right arm. Making their way down the hall, Angelica sighed. Grinding her teeth in exhausted anger, the tardy woman followed Lisa as quickly as possible. If they were late….there would be retribution. This was not going to be good…not good at all.

….

The orientation meeting was held outside oddly enough. Folding chairs and a makeshift podium stood out of place upon the lush, emerald lawn. Men and women sat in various groups, maybe forty people in all. Some were conversing quietly; others seemed bored at the early hour of in which the meeting was being held. Breathing in the slightly chilly air, Angelica slipped into a seat which was placed towards the back of the rows. The young woman prayed no one noticed her late arrival. Tucking one leg under the other, Burrows silently observed as their overseer finally walked over to his podium. Dr. James Marcus pressed a forearm against the wooden slab, dusting an invisible piece of lint from his suit sleeve. The years had left tracks across her old professor's face, wrinkles spidering around the smooth skin of his eyes. His dirty blonde hair had grayed, shining within the sunlight from the overabundance of hair gel he used to slick it back oh so severely. William Birkin, Albert Wesker, and Charles Trent stood in a circled trio behind, watching the crowd in hushing glares. All chatter fell silent, every last person turning their full attention to Marcus and his Project Managers. Lisa fidgeted in the seat next to Angelica, prompting her to place a steadying hand on her friend's knee. As James Marcus adjusted the mite sized microphone, he cleared his throat in preparation.

…

He didn't like it. Years had passed since this particular facility had been used for training operatives. He had gotten used to it being empty, at his own disposal. Marcus grit his teeth together, silently resenting Spencer's order to temporarily reopen. He had been so close to his crowning breakthrough…

Plastering a false smile across his thinning lips, James Marcus faced the expectant crown.

"_Welcome to your temporary home, ladies and gentlemen."_

…

Wesker stared at the man before him coldly, his azure eyes narrowing. Marcus had changed since his self imposed seclusion, becoming slightly….deranged, if he had to place the exact word that was coming to mind. After an earlier meeting with him, it became more and more evident that James had turned his work into obsession..

This man had been his mentor, his friend…..

Panning his gaze over the crowd, Wesker let his eyes stray to the late arrival in the back. The crooked smirk that had painted across his lips quickly faded as he watched her. Angelica Burrows met his gaze apologetically, her ice blue hues quickly diverting to the man in front. The autumn air agreed with her it seemed, or perhaps it was embarrassment that flushed attractively at her normally pale cheeks. The sunlight shimmered across the alabaster skin of her arms and shoulders alluringly, causing the normally collected male to widen his eyes. Wesker let his critical stare to wander briefly down the woman's curves, parting his lips to let out a breath of appreciation…

Birkin nudged at Wesker's shoulder, forcing the younger male to avert his eyes from their appreciative glance. Forcing his attention forward, the man listened carefully as his predecessor began his flagrant speech.

"_Welcome to your temporary home, ladies and gentlemen."_

…_.._

"_You will be staying here a period of three months until the Arklay Mountain Laboratory has been completed. During your stay, you will be acclimated to the city area. We are to remain inconspicuous and effective during this time. I trust you all have been assigned your teepees?" _Hazel eyes crinkled at their own joke, a low chuckle murmuring throughout the crowd. Marcus seemed satisfied with the reaction and continued. "_Our top viral engineers and project managers will be as follows. You will listen, work for them, and above all else, do not question them. These people have proven themselves worthy of their position and will be your progress supervisors. Albert Wesker, William Birkin, Charles Trent, and….Angelica Burrows."_ Turning around, Marcus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Gruffly whispering, he addressed his colleagues. "_Where is Dr. Burrows?" _ Growling under his breath, Wesker leaned forward, speaking under his breath. "_I do believe she was a bit tardy in her arrival…." _ Marcus nodded at the information, leaning back towards the microphone. He beckoned with an outstretched hand. "_Dr. Burrows, please step forward." _ Wesker quietly watched the woman addressed freeze in her chair, a smug smile spreading across his lips.

…

Angelica froze, silently cursing that she hadn't gotten there earlier. Lisa was prodding her to move, but her limbs refused to obey their owner. Seconds seemed to drag on into eternity, the familiar heat returning to a flush of crimson to her cheeks. Painstakingly slow, the numbness within her body turned into a rushing adrenaline. The former student rose from her seat, striding forward to take her place amongst the teachers. Creeping quietly to her old friend and professor's side, Angelica stared at the gathering of new colleagues. Marcus smiled stiffly, returning to his presentation. "_Very Kind of you to join us, Dr. Burrows. All of you have been assigned to your various groups according to specialty. The timed schedules for meetings and mealtimes will be sent electronically to your personal terminals. Without further ado, again I welcome you to the Raccoon Umbrella Training facility!" _ Clapping ensued, drowning out any questions Angelica was forming in her mind. Things were moving faster than she had ever expected…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"_What do you mean, Viral Experimentation?"_

An eyebrow was raised in question, plush lips tersing in quieted frustration. "_I was under the impression that my transference was dealing with prehistoric botany revival?" _ Birkin watched Angelica closely, noting her obvious confusion. Spencer had instructed both he and Wesker to keep the woman oblivious to certain details, but not all.. It was now time for William to do what he did best, twist the truth. "_Dr. Burrows, that is the primary objective. The floral elements that you have been dealing with for the past few years have rendered and rare viral strain that could be put to a matter of uses… We have the source of the plant, but when moved to a simulated environment, it becomes unstable. Your job is to find out why, and to refine the strain for animal testing." _Crossing her legs upon one another at the heel, Angelica leaned forward. Both she and William Birkin had been discussing her new title and what responsibilities it entailed within Birkin's private office for some time. Burrows had been sitting in an padded arm chair, various files strewn across her lap. William reclined in his swivel chair, watching the younger woman looking through the mess of paper, and answered the various questions that were posed to him. After finally being able to speak to the woman on a one on one basis, he had been rather impressed by her intelligence. She was more than just a shut in scientist as he and Albert had joked about during their visits to the Artic labs over the years. No, she was a treasure trove of knowledge waiting to be stimulated. Blue eyes leveled at him sharply, Burrows beginning to gather up the many pages. _"Anything beyond animal testing will be my responsibility, William. Ozwell and I have a pre-standing agreement that is contracted as such." _ Birkin sat up fully, his thick eyebrows in a knot. Spencer had more than failed to mention this at their private meeting. Silenced anger burned behind his smile, but he managed to nod stiffly in agreement. "_Understood, Dr. Burrows."_ Holding the files to her as she stood, Angelica's stiff demeanor finally broke. The woman revealed a dazzling smile. In all honestly, she had expected some rebuttal to the statement, or possibly and argument. "_Thank you for your time, William. I'll get to work right away." _Birkin chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "_You have already gotten acclimated to the facility? You and the rest of the associates are supposed to use today to do so." _A mischievous glance met his eyes, her own twinkling. "_I had plenty of time to read the blue prints on the plane ride. I probably know this place better than Spencer himself." _Birkin stayed silent at this notion, his face not betraying any personal thought to it. She really didn't know how their mutual employer always had surprises in an architectural fashion… William watched as Angelica watched the room with her arms full. As soon as she had disappeared out of sight, the perturbed male lifted the receiver of his desk telephone from its cradle. Hastily, Birkin spat out his words into the speaker. "_Get Spencer on the line, immediately." _

_~~~~~~…._

Angelica slowly walked down the hallway, attempting to read the files and not run headlong into the wall at the same time. The former was accomplishable, the latter proving to be the problem. After barely avoiding a few corners, the absorbed woman finally just stopped mid-stride to focus upon a particular page. It had been a case study that had been shelved several years ago by Marcus himself. Something about combining virus strains with the coagulative healing power of leeches…

A sudden jolt sent Angelica and her files to the floor, a gruff grunting curse coming from whatever had collided with her. "_Damn…"_ Scrambling for the papers, she kept repeating the same phrase contritely. "_I'm sooo sorry! I didn't mean to just stop in the middle of the walk way like that! I am so sorry…" _Flighty, azure eyes turned upwards, wary of who or what they might meet. Leaning over her prone form…was Wesker. His upper lip was curled up in a frustrated sneer, a hand rubbing the right shoulder that had been clipped. He had been reading The Divine Comedy avidly, that was until this _woman_ had decided to stand in the center of the hall. Growling under his breath at the female before him, Wesker offered an aiding hand towards her. Gathering the closest papers messily towards her chest, Angelica took the offered help gingerly. Albert hefted her surprisingly light form easily from the flooring, almost jerking her slim body into his own. The woman's blonde ponytail whipped about her shoulders, tumbling sloppily to the side. The papers slammed between their torsos, crinkling loudly on impact. A crimson tinge painted across Angelica's pale cheeks, forcing Wesker to soften his gaze at the sight. Cocking his head to the side, the man allowed curiosity to override other thoughts. Plucking a few of the files from her loose grasp, he flashed Angelica a questioning glare. _"You should be more careful with such important files. Where is your assistant Miss Trevor? Let me assist you if she is unwilling to…" _Nodding in agreement, Angelica bent to gather the remainder of the scattered paperwork. "_I got overloaded, thank you. As for Lisa, I let her go get acquainted with the place and staff." _ Wesker narrowed his eyes as he copied her actions, but stacked them within his grasp far more neatly than she. "_If you are called in for work, then so is she. It is policy. She should be aware of that by now." _Burrows shrugged, smoothing back unruly locks of hair from her eyes. _"Eh, I am not too concerned. Let her have fun for once." _

Minutes later the pair were walking down the hallway, arms full of mismatched papers and folders. Scanning a few of the paragraphs with his eyes as they walked, Wesker gently chuckled. The unfamiliar noise prompted Angelica to give her companion a sidelong glance, eyebrow cocked. "_What is so funny?" _ The man next to her shook his head, the stream of quieted laughter cut off by a light cough. "_Looks like Will dumped his paperwork off with yours .You got to be careful about him at times. He has a wonderful mind, but hates to write anything down. I would hate to be his secretary. He's gone through five this year alone.." _Grousing at this information, Angelica moved to one of the tables that populated the foyer area. The facility had the feel of a cabin one would take for a woodland vacation, paneled with light, log like appearances. The surface level even included a mess hall, gym, recreation center, and formal filing offices. But beneath the top level lay the true function of the building; the labs. Sighing as she moved into one of the overstuffed couches, Angelica stared at the gargantuan pile of paperwork. The woman flinched as her colleague added to the stack severely. Wesker sat across from her, his hands clasped before him. _"Would you appreciate some help with sorting this…atrocity out, dear heart?" _There was a mischievous twinkle in his crystal eyes, glinting evilly from within their pigments. Angelica's silver blues met them, narrowing ruefully at his question. "_Yes, but on one condition." _ Albert's brow rose as he reached for the papers that displayed Marcus' name that were closest to him. This was information Birkin should have not made available to her….

Wesker's offer was not without an ulterior motive. His gaze slid back to the woman before him, lips curving upwards in a coy smirk. He fully well knew many of his female colleagues were physically attracted to him, and he did hope for once that the woman was going to make the first move… "_And what would that be, dear heart?" _

Angelica snatched the papers out of his grasp, her heart shaped mouth quirked in blatant amusement. "_Just one little…thing… Don't call me 'dear heart' ."_

…

The day had dragged on, leaving Marcus with plenty of time to play with his 'babies.' It had taken years to splice the active plant virus in the animal's tissue, the common leech becoming the most compatible so far. Over the last few months the professor had become rather reclusive, putting the worm like creatures under secret tests in his personal laboratory. But he was running out of time…money…and the virus that was fueling the entire research. Lifting a small, slimy animal from its water beaker with a pair of tweezers, James Marcus crooned lovingly at the wriggling beast. "_That's right, my little darling. Soon enough we will show the world what we are capable of." _ The shrill ring of a telephone echoed within the laboratory, forcing the absorbed man to cut short his obviously one sided conversation with the leech. Placing the specimen back into the water filled habitat, Marcus plucked the receiver from its place upon the white washed wall. Answering hastily, the scientist snapped at the individual who had dared to interrupt his solace. "_I had given explicit instructions to be left alone this evening, William. If you have one more question on the technical assignments, they can wait till morning…" _ A devious chuckle answered the outburst, one that did not belong to William Birkin. "_No cordial hello for me, James?" _Marcus passed a hand over his own brow, smoothing back the stress creases that were etched there. "_Ah, Spencer. What do I owe the personal phone call? Or have you finally decided to give me an answer on the funding I asked you to push through…six..months ago." _ Spencer let his breath hiss through the static, causing his colleague to narrow his eyes at the lack of immediate response. Finally the silence broke. "_Quite the contrary I am afraid, James. I have called to notify you that once the Arklay laboratories are complete in construction, your services will no longer be …required." _ Marcus felt his knees buckle out from under him at the words. The older man's thin form slammed against the wall, leaning against it for support. Snarling into the receiver, the protective scientist reached a plaintive hand forward to trace his fingertips against the water beaker that held his living research. "_You can't do this to me, Spencer! I own a third of this company!" _The man on the other side of the conversation seemed to be inhuman, his voice betraying no emotion on the matter in which he was discussing. "_The Ashford family and I have agreed to buy out your existing shares, James. Please do not make your termination any more painful than it has to be…" _ Slamming his other fist into the wall, Marcus gripped the at the phone in desperate, wild fury. "_No..you…Spencer, you can't do this to me…." _ Large orbs were unblinking at the emotional trauma they had just received. James could barely breathe, the air catching within his throat. The static filled his mind for what seemed like an eternity, the held breath within him turning Marcus' cheeks a dangerous ruby shade. "_We will discuss your compensation further over the holiday quarter. Under further notice your funding will be quite limited. Any changes and we will notify you, Dr. Marcus." _ The burning resonance of a dial tone clicked over, filling the now maddened mind of a scientist shunned.

…..

She crept up upon them slowly, eyebrows knit together in wariness. Angelica was sprawled across one end of a plush lounge couch, seemingly asleep on a stack of random paperwork. Albert Wesker was sitting up however, calmly sorting through the remaining pile. His frigid eyes diverted upwards to acknowledge the intruder's presence. Lisa Trevor peeked over the back of the couch, staring at her obviously unconscious friend. "_When..uhm when did she konk out?" _ Lisa quietly moved to the arm of the sofa, sitting upon its thick material. She didn't look her superior in the eye, too embarrassed by the rising blush that was within her round cheeks. Trevor was an attractive young female, soft green eyes, brown hair, petite form, but she lacked the confidence to gain the attention of both supervisors and Wesker's male side. It layman's terms….she was nobody. Albert's jaw tightened at her squeaky question. He was tired…irritated, and decided that alittle antagonism would do his heart some good. Quirking a brow over a page, the man frowned deeply. "_Do tell me why you have just now decided to look for your colleague at three in the morning? Or, perhaps, you are here to finally relieve me of doing __**your**__ job?" _ A sullen look washed over the female's face. Many piles of papers had been sorted and filed accordingly, well all except the ones Burrows had fallen asleep on. Keeping her eyes on the floor, Lisa mumbled apologetically. "_I'm sorry, sir. I was under the impression that today was designated for familiarizing ourselves with the facilities. It won't happen again…" _ Leaning forward from his seat, Wesker sat down the file folder he had been studying, and stood. Brushing the folds of his ebony suit free of stray paperclips, he moved beside the front of the sofa on which Angelica was reposing. Shaking her shoulder gently, his prod was met by the woman shifting but refusing to wake. Wrapping a warm hand about her waist, he pulled the still sleeping woman up cradle style to his chest. She was surprisingly light in weight, but an extremely heavy sleeper. A soft groan filtered through Angelica's parted lips as the warmth of the couch was replaced with something far more comfortable. She snuggled herself closer unconsciously, whilst Wesker was wide eyed at the action. Lisa had scurried out of the way as quickly as possible. Her eyes were as large as eggs at the spectacle, watching in dumbstruck awe as the man she secretly idolized now held her employer like a cover of a bad romance novel. Well, minus the flowing blonde hair….Wesker would never have dared to even have his hair touching his ears.

Albert turned an icy glare back in Trevor's direction, motioning with his chin towards the opposite hall. "_Surely you are not going to make me carry Miss Burrows and our work to her personal quarters?" _ Scrambling to gather the folders in a neat stack, Lisa could feel the moment dragging like a needle to the spine. He was just…watching her…

Seconds later, she stumbled forward with the bundle, attempting a sheepish smile. Wesker merely stood, his eyes following her silently. He stared….and she stared back obliviously. Finally rolling his eyes, he hissed sharply in a forced whisper. "_Miss Trevor, I may be the head of security, but I do no memorize __**everyone's**__ personal living area…" _ Head bowed in realization, Lisa gave her superior a hurried nod. As she moved silently forward, the heart shaped face burned with shame. Trevor knew her infatuation with the blonde man behind her was not real, but either way, every time she was around him, she turned into a blithering idiot. Chiding herself inwardly until finally stopping in front of the door she had dragged her friend through earlier that day, she bit her lip. Twisting the door knob gingerly, Trevor prayed that is was unlocked. The door creaked happily, giving way, and swung open easily. The room itself had been left in the shambles of interrupted unpacking, articles of clothing and personal items still spread upon the bed and floor. Timidly, Lisa stepped aside, attempting to keep her normally chirpy voice at a low key. "_Uhm, this..this is it." _ Without further conversation, Wesker stepped into the untidy room, and over to the mussed bed. Using his forearm to wipe the clothing to the other side of the wide mattress, he eased the unconscious woman into the wrinkled covers. Angelica clung to the unknown warmth of his arms, forcing Wesker to shake them to try to detach her. If Lisa had not been so bashful within the man's presence, she would have burst into laughter. Her voice quavered amusedly as the woman attempted to justify her employer's behavior. " _She hasn't slept more than three hours for the last few days… She's been preparing for this and pulled all nighters for about a week." _ Silently grousing at the woman who held onto his arm, Wesker looked at Angelica's sleeping face. She had been so quiet during the sorting they had done earlier, which had surprised him. He had expected her to be chatty, or at least sarcastic, but her business demeanor was completely different then the one she used to put on for Birkin and his quarterly visits. Now, her face was serene, calm within its rest. Blonde strands fell across her cheek, moving ever so little with each puff of breath she took. Brushing them gently behind her ear, Wesker found himself lingering…watching…

Reaching over to an unused pillow, Wesker shoved the object within the loop of Angelica's arms. She took the bait. Curling around the feather stuffed object, she released her hold and settled into the bed with a sigh. Albert gently smirked, his blue eyes sparking as they glittered in the lamplight. As he turned to leave, the curve if a smile immediately disappeared from his lips. Brushing his sleeves off as if he had just been carrying an animal, Wesker glared at Trevor. "_I suggest that you do your job and make sure that incident does not repeat itself. Otherwise, I will be discussing with Spencer about your transfer to the unemployment department." _ Stalking past the now trembling woman, the stony male left their presence. An evil, satisfied smile began to creep back upon his face. He retrieved a folder that he had hidden within his coat. Within the dim lights of the hallway, the letters of the confidential T virus report gleamed in the flickering lights of the stride steps. Lisa Trevor had desperately tried explaining Angelica's lack of endurance, tried to find her in the middle of the night….

Wesker always found a person's weakness in order to exploit and control them. He had just found Burrows' and Trevor's weakness. Their weakness…..was friendship.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Matted eyes opened slowly, confused by the blaring noise that seemed to rip through the back of her skull. Watery orbs blinked furiously in an attempt to clear the cloudiness. Squinting as the world began to become clear and vivid, Angelica realized the noise was the sound of an alarm clock. Waving her hand in the general direction of the nightstand, a stiff member slammed down upon the snooze button. Slowly, the disoriented female sat up, looking around the room in confusion. How did she get here? Crawling from the pile of sheets and clothing, she stumbled over the pillow she had been gripping so very close… It smelled of men's cologne…

Moving slothfully to the small shower room, Angelica began to shed her two day old clothing. Water hissed to life as she stepped into the stall, cascading down clammy, oil filled skin to clean away the previous day. Slicking back the blonde hair that washed into her face, Angelica pressed her forehead against the shower wall. The same, faint and unfamiliar scent of cologne melded into the steam, causing her nose to twitch. It wasn't all too unfamiliar…where had she smelled it before…

Quickly going through the motions of a thorough washing, minutes later she emerged. A haphazard blow dry and makeup splash, and Angelica moved to her suitcase. Casting a quick glance to the clock which told her it was a quarter after five in the morning, she mentally noted that there was forty five minutes left until the morning meeting. Fishing some underclothing out and hopping over to her terminal, Angelica flicked the switch out of the power save mode. The blue glare shone upon her skin as she buttoned a dress shirt down. Perusing through her company assigned email as she slid up black dress slacks, Burrows scrunched her brow together at a particular email. It was from…Wesker? Last night had become a blur, and the tiny part of her mind that that stared hazily at the subject line slowly had begun to function properly. Double clicking the 'read' icon, her eyes began to read the fine print.

'_Miss Burrows,_

_I do hope that your rest was adequate. The folders that we had been sorting previously are now finished accordingly and await your attention upon your desk. Please inform your associate Miss Trevor, that if you are to requite my assistance with something concerning her own responsibilities, that she will be searching for a new position. My colleagues and I do not tolerate incompetence, and neither do we tolerate it from you. _

_Having that been made informed to you, I wish you a serviceable day._

_Wesker_

Growling openly at the message she was reading, Angelica flipped off the screen switch in disgust. That pompous jerk.. She needed help and he gladly offered… It was the first realization she had that this was a different world than the one she had grown accustomed to, and that everything came with strings attached. Gathering her key card and notepad, the angry female stormed out of her quarters. She was out for blood…

…

She hadn't eaten all, day…well morning. Ignoring the persistent growling of her stomach, Lisa typed furiously at a keyboard. Having not slept after last night's incident, the woman had decided to prove her worth. Completing all electronic transfers within an hour, Trevor was now printing out the backup copies, and filing them away within an oaken cupboard. The antique had been converted into a file cabinet, and was being filled at an overly efficient rate. Running purely off a coffee high, the jittery female nearly screamed as an unknown hand clasped down upon her shoulder. "_Good…morning…Lisa?" _ Looking up from her work, the woman smiled as soon as recognition kicked in. "_! Good morning..what do I owe the pleasure?"_

Charles Trent chuckled gently, adjusting his glasses. The man had been one of the leading professors at the Raccoon training facility, but after it closed he had been bouncing back and forth where he was needed in the company. Angelica Burrows had been one of his prize students, keeping in touch with her via email and phone call over the last few years. Nodding as he took the adjacent seat, Trent cleared his throat. "_Well, I had hoped to catch you and Angel..or should I say "Dr. Burrows?", before the meeting. Sat there waiting at breakfast and you both never showed. Everything alright?" _Lisa grimaced at the thought of food, an apologetic smile smearing her chapped lips. "_I'm sorry, but after last night, I'm lucky to even be here." _

Chatty as ever, Trevor quickly relayed the story of yesterday's evening, her green eyes cloudy with worry and sadness. Their stare trailed to the floor, closing as the overworked woman sighed. Trent's hand gently squeezed her shoulder, his voice calm and comforting. "_We all make mistakes. I mean, who had to help her, Spencer himself?" _The attempt at stress relieving humor was immediately shot down by a stern glare that Lisa looked up with. "_Almost as bad. It was Wesker." _ The man's soft, brown eyes enlargened at the statement, making them look comically giant behind the glasses he wore. Wesker had always been one of Spencer's favorites, and was well known for being devastatingly effective at keeping the employees in line. One could call the man an overachiever…and that statement would still fall short. No one dared to cross the brilliant scientist, and being in trouble with him meant serious business.

Clearing his throat, the older male smiled haphazardly. "_I'm sure everything will work out. You have been with the company for quite some time now, afterall…"_

The sound of the office door being slammed open tore their attention from whatever rallying speech Trent was about to give. Flying into the room, Angelica stomped to her desk. The woman was grumbling to herself loudly, taking the neat folders that had been stacked upon her desk, and spread them into disarray. Obviously not finding what she was searching for, Burrows began to rifle through the file cabinet that Lisa had been organizing minutes beforehand. Trevor looked genuinely concerned, her face blanching white when her superior retrieved a contract form from its ancient folder. Angelica stiffly walked back from behind her desk, smoothing out time's wrinkles from the page. Shakily, Lisa confronted her employer and friend. "_W..what's that?"_ Quipping back sternly, Angelica sent a frustrated gaze back to her assistant. "_Your business contract. I have a small problem to deal with concerning the terms of your employment." _Icy hues leveled at the pair, a businesslike attitude having settled over Angelica's face. A petrified expression infiltrated Lisa's entire demeanor, the shock apparent on her round face. Trent stared at his former student dumbfounded, hurriedly moving to her side. "_Angelica, may I speak with you a moment?" _ Nodding as she headed for the still wide open door, Angelica waved him to follow. "_Yes, but quickly." _ Charles Trent quickly followed after the irate woman, leaving the traumatized Lisa Trevor alone in the cold, lonely office.

….

She was beyond angry. He could tell that merely by the way she walking. Gruffly clearing his throat finally, Trent confronted Burrows as a concerned father would his child. "_Angelica, what exactly do you think you are doing?" _ His tone was friendly, but commanding, demanding the truth. Burrows kept walking, but gave her former mentor a sidelong glance in the process. "_I'm setting the record straight, Charles." _The older man scrunched his furry eyebrows together, obviously at a loss for what words he was going to say. "_Eh?"_ His reaction caused the woman to finally crack, a light snicker trilling out of her throat. "_Trent, Wesker threatened one of __**my**__ employees. Did you think I was going to let that slide? He has no authority here, and I'm making sure he knows it." _ Trent began to smile at the information, feeling quite sheepish for believing she was being rash. It took a lot to make this young woman angry, but when she was, many of her co-workers would say her eyes turned red with fury. He knew she was confident, and had prayed that her new position of authority would not change her… And evidently, it hadn't…..so far.

Seconds later, Angelica came to a stop before an office door. The silver lined template on the front labeled: A. Wesker.

Aquamarine eyes blinked gently, turning expectantly to their friend. "_Wish me luck? Oh and do keep Lisa company for awhile? We both may end up packing our desks by the end of the day…"_

Slapping a hand to his forehead, Trent suddenly realized he had left the emotionally fragile woman in the office…by herself. Turning to walk briskly back down the hall in which he had traversed, Trent winked over his shoulder. "_You don't need any luck! Just be yourself." _

Angelica watched as her old professor skidded down the hallway, a light smile upon her face. The smile disappeared however, when she turned to face the door. She had never been in Wesker's many offices, and now it felt like entering the dragon's keep. Shaking the feeling off, Burrows twisted the door handle.

….

A holographic image of a projection board twinkled in the shadows as a singular hand modified the various lines it its satisfaction. Azure eyes snapped up from their task, the other hand moved to shut of the project and flick the dimmed lights back up to their fullest state. An irritating buzzing noise had interrupted Wesker from his weekly report, his annoyance evident across his chiseled face. Pressing his thumb upon the intercom device that was upon his desk, he spoke severely to the person on the other side. "_Yes, what is it, Miss Wong?" _ A smooth, Asian accented woman answered back gently, sounding wary and confused. Ada Wong was a young woman, barely out of her teens. She was efficient, and not hard to look at either… Both were reasons why Wesker had transferred her from the Tokyo facility to be his personal assistant. The excuse had been he could see her going further in the company because of her work ethic..

"_You have someone here to speak with you, Mr. Wesker."_

Glacial orbs blinked in confusion at her statement. He didn't have any meetings due for another twenty minutes… Pressing down upon the button once more, Wesker calmly gave his common response. "_Tell them I am preoccupied." _ A stifled snort came from the other side, the young woman's orient accent increasing with her frustration. "_I have. They are insisting.." _

Before Wesker could answer, the door to his inner office swung open. Angelica strode through the opening, her head held high. Wong skittered on her heels quickly behind. A frigid stare from the senior colleague informed Ada to back away. A stolid glare was received by the still seated male, Burrows speaking in a low, threatening tone to the female lingering behind her. "_I do not care if he is 'preoccupied', Miss Wong. Wesker and I have a matter of importance to discuss. Please give us some privacy…" _ The receptionist gave a worried glance to her employer, not immediately moving at the request of Angelica. His nod affirmed the command, and she swiftly made herself scarce, shutting the door upon the retreat. Standing up from behind his desk and moving around the corner, Wesker slackly placed his wrists at the small of his back. The man looked aggravatingly calm, his sky blues never wavering from his companion's frosty stare. "_I trust that the evening has refreshed you?" _

Normally condescension was used as a tool to gain the upper hand in conversations. It angered most people, causing them to articulate rashly. In the process, it made Wesker out to be the level headed and correct individual, whether that was the true case or not. Unfortunately for him, this attitude prompted the very opposite reaction from this particular woman. Angelica's eyebrows merely lifted at the question, but no other emotional response was provoked by the tone.

"_Indeed, but we both know that my sleeping habits are not the topic of discussion I had wished to broach. You have my gratitude for your help last evening, but I was unaware that your assistance would come with a catch…"_

Wesker's eyebrow twitched unreceptively at her cool demeanor, his own nature being mirrored was not a tactic he was used to. None the less, he kept his composure unreadable. Feigning innocence, the man splayed his hands out plaintively. "_A catch, dear heart?" _ Setting her jaw , Angelica placed the contract paper she had been holding forcefully down. It became tensed as the eerily quiet woman faced Wesker. _"You made an employment threat to __**my **__employee. Do stay in your place, and I will stay in mine. We wouldn't want Miss Wong to find herself in the same situation for miss-filing our financial report for this month, now do we?" _Slim fingers rapped the desk in silence , challenging the man to answer the gauntlet that had been. Wesker growled under his breath, his ice blue eyed narrowing in an attempt to intimidate the woman who defied him. She didn't back down…

Slowly, a smug smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Inwardly Angelica mused as to his true intent, but she didn't let the bewilderment show. "_Agreed, I overstepped my boundaries. Do accept my apologies." _ Blinking her almond eyes rapidly, the woman let her stiffened jaw relax finally. Hurriedly she spoke, realizing that her time frame with him was growing short. "_Thank you. If that concludes our conversation, then I will see you at the morning meeting in ten." _ The former anger seemed to have magically melted from the woman's eyes, a complacent smile replacing the rigid posture of her lips. Angelica left the room as swiftly as she had come, leaving the cloying, flowery scent of her perfume behind. Wesker watched the woman exit, his fierce gaze glinting with amusement. She really had no idea who she was dealing with. Angelica was such a small guppy, in a sea full of sharks.

…..

Gathering the last of his files together, William Birkin stifled a yawn. He really detested early morning meetings, and they cut into his breakfast time with his wife on far too often an occasion. Between his district duties and overseeing the Arklay construction, they had little time to spend with one another anymore. Staring at the picture that resided towards the left hand corner of his desk, the man smiled to himself. Annette Birkin had been in the park that day, laying on a picnic basket that the two of them were sharing. His lips were pressed to the side of her cheek, and a hand protectively cradling her abdomen. Annnette was a lovely woman, well fit and always in the best of shape. But now, she was looking down gleefully at the obvious bump that protruded from her stomach region.

Sherry…that was the name they had picked out the day the proud parents found out they were having a little girl. Tracing his fingers down the metal rim of the frame, William sighed. Annette's due date was in three months… He hoped that he would be there for the birth. Hefting his stack of papers under one arm, Birkin moved for his briefcase. The sound of his office door creaking open caused his dark eyes to direct upwards. Wesker leaned on the doorsill, an evil grin plastered across his face. "_You that eager for our meeting, Albert? Thought you always said they were rooms for you to be 'surrounded by incompetence.'" _ The other man shook his head, moving to his colleague's side in one, fluid movement. "_Actually, I have a private matter to discuss with you." _ Pausing from stuffing his briefcase with folders, Birkin's eyebrows rose in query. "_Regarding?" _ A triumphant glint passed into Wesker's eyes, the smirk never removing itself from his mouth.

"_Angelica…"_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The stress of the previous night had forced him to wretch repeatedly throughout it's duration. Dark circles formed under his eyes, making his face severely gaunt and pinched in appearance. James Marcus slid into his seat at the oblong table, feeling the various stares upon crawling across him like maggots on a wound. His hazel brown eyes closed as he placed a supporting hand beneath his unshaven chin. Various murmurings coalesced in a giant hum. They all reminded him of mindless bees, milling about for a larger cause that they had no knowledge of. A single order, and they all fell in perfect, brainless line. He himself a overseer who gave the orders to monotonous drones. He had always been a lord of industry and science…a lord that was now being usurped.

The crashing noise of a suitcase being placed upon the polished table drew him from his downward, mental spiral, causing him to jump lightly. Birkin smiled down at him ingratiatingly, sitting in the seat adjacent to his former mentor. Wesker was not far behind, but unlike his partner, did not even give Marcus a second glance. Disgusting, after all the time and effort he had put into those two. Investing, training…all to turn back on him. They had once been like sons to him, and now thanks to the learned wisdom of Marcus…were going to one day rule this  
Umbrella kingdom.

Sucking in a laborious breath between his clenched teeth, James let his cynical gaze travel to the young woman who had just taken her seat next to Wesker. Marcus scrutinized Angelica Burrows as she settled in. This girl had always been different from the rest… He had tutored her briefly during her teenage years, prompting her hidden intellect to its fullest potential. He hadn't seen her since her transference to the Arctic facility…

Kind, warm orbs returned his gaze, an oblivious happiness shining from their enchanting hues. She smiled at him, twitching her fingers in an appropriate wave. Only then did Wesker seem to take notice, a sharp glance from him thrown in Marcus' direction. Shooting back a delirious smirk, James straightened within his chair. Mentally checking himself, the proprietor stifled himself from rolling his eyes at the stragglers that finished streaming in. '_Better sit yourself up, James. Don't want to look..unprofessional…' _Mentally goading himself back into his sleek façade, the elderly male smoothed back his hair, and straightened his suit sleeves. The meeting was now starting…

…

"_Now that we have familiarized ourselves with each other and this facility, it's time to get down to business." _

William Birkin was at the head of the oblong table, now clearly commanding the attention of the room. Dead silence washed over the company of people, their rigid stares directed at the man who stood before them. "_We will be splitting into three majority groups. You have already made fully aware of our project managers; Dr. Angelica Burrows, Dr. Albert Wesker, Dr. James Marcus, Dr. Charles Trent, and myself. As a result of the grouping, there will be some employee shuffling. Don't bother repealing this, it has already been decided and approved by our company owner, Ozwell Spencer. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause." _Birkin gave Wesker a knowing glance, the other man returning with a slight nod of approval. Birkin continued, purposefully ignoring the frightened glare that Burrows shot in their direction.

"_Various assistants and trainers will be assigned different people who best fit their needs. The new roster will be sent electronically to your personal terminals within the hour. Now, Dr. Burrows, you will be assigned directly in the partnership of… Marcus..in the viral engineering department." _ The paper that Birkin had read this off of seemed to shake within his fingers briefly, as if he was amiss at what exactly he had read. Birkin's brow creased. This was closer to the 'project' than he felt comfortable letting the ever inquisitive woman. But there enough it was, signed by Spencer to allow her to be there. Maybe it was a 'two birds with one stone' mentality. Directing a challenging stare at the young woman, this time he didn't avert his eyes. Birkin could see she was fighting to keep composure, but she did so, despite the rage boiling beneath the surface at losing a battle she thought she had won earlier…

….

The meeting had proven arduous, but seemed none the less to pass in a heated haze. She could barely read the email that confirmed her worst fear. Lisa Trevor had been removed from her service and her new assistant…was Ada Wong. The walls had seemed to suffocate when she had told her friend, closing about her throat in a choking vice. Everything was changing, and Angelica loathed it…

The days dragged on into paperwork and bureaucratic mush that nearly made the woman forget why she had even come there in the first place. The seasons began to change, turning chilly and cold. Frost showed in the mornings, forcing Burrows back in the familiar comfort of her turtleneck sweaters. Marcus occasionally would pick on her about it on his good days, often calling her 'Mrs. Rogers.' And that's exactly what it meant…on his good days. The man's health and temper were fragile, or at least that was his excuse. On most days he kept her fairly busy, teaching even. After they had successfully managed to synthesize refined virus strains, Angelica was let in on his dream. The man had dreamed of using the virus to perfect human flaw, but had not yet found a way to inject a host without overwhelming its natural antibodies.

The woman honestly saw the genius within the thought, and within the man's mind. Marcus believed that it was possible to create a restorative strain that would create a bonding mechanism that gave the body into its own full potential. Unfortunately, they were just now entering the animal stages, and the earlier ones had proven to have a very low success rate. The virus had a habit of not being recognized in the body or laying dormant…or…the secondary and more common problem would appear. The virus would attack its host, causing a mutagen to appear. It would bond readily, and unnaturally, causing grotesque growths, and then soon after…death. Angelica had been nursing a lab rat slowly with an intravenous drip, praying that it would not turn out like the last.

Its predecessor had ripped out its own spine with four inch long fangs that grew at an alarming rate, its eyes becoming tri stalked and bloodily bulbous. As of late, Marcus had grown increasingly frustrated with his work, and often muttering '_No time, never any time.'_ Sometimes he would merely seclude himself from her, and order to be left alone. On those days, Angelica caught up on paperwork, or headed into town.

Raccoon was a refreshing blend of both small town and big city. It was busy, full of quaint shops and people who smiled. Everyone seemed to know each other, and you could always find little groups of pedestrians talking cheerfully on the sidewalks. With the change of season came the holidays. Garlands drenched the city, making the plainness of the facility painfully obvious to the young woman who lived there. It was this particular week before Christmas that Angelica decided to do something about it.

Standing with her arms folded, Burrows eyed the wide variety of Christmas trees. A cold wind blew golden strands across her face, forcing her to push them back with a gloved hand to see. Wiping the hair from her eyes, the woman stepped further into the false woodland. She was standing inside the Raccoon City Plant nursery, and hell bent on finding the perfect one. So many kinds littered the lot, a makeshift forest standing right in the middle of town. Blue pines, red cedars, evergreens…if she hadn't had her allergy shot already, Angelica knew she'd probably have puffy reaction eyes by the end of the day.

The sound of a happy little child squealing made her jump. Angelica watched wide eyed as something with a bright pink coat, and fiery red hair bounced by, scrambling under the pine tree that she had been standing next to. Jogging quickly clomped from behind, forcing Angelica to take a step back out of whoever was running way. "_Claire! Claire! Where did you go?" _A boy ran past, frantically searching for the little girl who was now safely hidden and giggling under the yuletide foliage. His dark eyes were large, soft brown hair tousled by the wind. The young man looked seventeen, maybe eighteen at best, but something within his cobalt eyes told a different story as to his age.

They were full of anxious, parental concern, many sleepless nights having stained in dark circles beneath his wide orbs. Smiling as she watched him search, Angelica moved to the tree where she had seen the child hide from her older sibling. Whispering gently as the little one looked up at her, Angelica bent on one knee to get a better view. "_Are you Claire?" _The girl nodded, the mirth that had danced in her blue eyes now transforming into hushed wariness. Burrows smiled reassuringly, her smile widening in innocent understanding. "_I think your brother is looking for you, Claire." _ Inching from her hiding spot, the little girl looked around. Brushing off her little jacket, the child stuck out her small hand. Angelica grinned. The girl had spunk..

"_I'm Claire Redfield, who are you?" _ Shaking the small hand in impressed surprise, Angelica admired the firm grasp. The girl barely looked over twelve…but she was confident. About ready to answer, Burrows was cut off by the brush next to them shaking violently. The older brother circled around as he burst forth from the plants, snatching his sister's hand away from Angelica protectively. Whispering harshly to his sibling, the boy's face scrunched in disapproving emotion. "_I told you not to run off like that. And you're talking to strangers! We gotta get back to the group..you had me worried, Claire." _ Grumbling to herself, the little Redfield stared defiantly at her brother, yanking her hand back to herself. "_I'm not a babbby, let go, Chris." _Moving his grasp to the back of Claire's pink jacket, Christopher Redfield smiled sheepishly at Angelica.

"_Uh..thanks for finding my sister. Sorry, she likes to wander off…" _

Nodding, the older woman gave him a knowing smile. "_No problem…" _ The redheaded child interrupted, squeaking in indignance. "_I was just picking out a Christmas tree…" _ Lowering his head, Chris looked sympathetically at his sister. "_You know we can only look, Claire…we can't actually get one." _ A look of sadness crossed over the little girl, the sudden pain in her sky blue eyes catching Angelica off guard. All petulance seemed to have left Claire, the maturity of someone who had suffered a great tragedy flashing briefly across the baby blues. Angelica's curiosity flared, her voice soft as it got the better of her. "_Why can't you?"_

The sound of a sharp whistle ripped through the crisp air, a calling shout following soon after. Chris' dark eyes narrowed in recognition of the sound, he left hand slipping into his sister's more willing grasp. "_Uhm. We gotta go. They're calling for us. Merry Christmas!" _ Without further adieu, the two bolted through the feaux forest, Claire waving a parting farewell until the pair was out of sight. Moving from around the tree, Angelica chuckled to herself as she walked to the payment near the entrance. The man who served there smiled warmly even though his hands were rubbing together for their own warmth. "_Did you find a tree you liked, hun?" _Nodding in reply, Angelica pointed to a tall evergreen that stood in the middle of the lot. "_That one over there." _ As she handed over the payment, she let her eyes travel to the entrance.

A bus was parked there, a small group of kids loading onto it in a single file line. The paint was peeling on the old, blue vehicle, and between the chipped letters, the prominent sign read : Raccoon City Orphanarium. Glancing back with her brows knit, Angelica frowned. "_What's that all about?" _ The man sighed, a sad look passing over his eyes as he handed her the left over change from her money. "_They bring them out to see the trees. The budget is too low for the place to buy one. Usually we donate a small one, but this year…new management and all….well we couldn't." _ Trailing off with a growl, the shop keeper followed her gaze, his face stained with the dislike for his own employers. Angelica watched in saddened realization as a little girl in a familiar pink coat disappeared up the bus stairs.

Casting her glance back to the blue pine that Claire had been hiding beneath earlier, Angelica looked back to the substantial amount of change back in her hand. A mischievous smile crept across her gentle lips as she held the money back out. "_Actually, I'll take that big blue one too. Do you deliver?" _ The man nodded, rewriting the addition onto her receipt. "_Where do ya need them taken to?" _ Blue eyes sparkled at him, the Christmas spirit finally taking hold of Burrows heart. "_One of them just to the top of my car. The other…send to the Orphanage."_

…

Trent had no idea what was going on. The last thing he knew was that Lisa Trevor had burst into his office, and dragged him down the hallway. Now, he was covered in pine needles, and helping an overly excited Angelica hand lights. Garlands and shiny balls of glass hung ornately across delicate branches, drenching the icicle lights allowed for a multitude of beams to sparkle festively. Lisa was giggling off to the side, just thrilled to be doing something other than filing. Since the meeting almost two months ago, she had been under stiff surveillance from Wesker, and had a workload twice of what a normal assistant would have.

Brushing the stray spines from his hair, Charles stepped back. Angelica was teetering at the top of a step ladder, a beautiful angel tree topper in her hands. Stretching dangerously out, the woman placed the fragile ornament in its rightful place. The little maroon dress fanned out perfectly, its black wind extending out behind wide, embracing arms. Balancing expertly on her heels, Angelica stared back down at her friends. Trent chuckled, still picking at his suit. _"It's lovely, my dear."_ Slowly Angelica made her way down the ladder, checking her wrist watch. She had decorated the tree with half an hour to spare. With any luck, Marcus would let her in the laboratory to check in on Skeets the rat.

Lisa put her chin on Burrows' shoulder, sighing happily as she stared up at the lofty tree. "_Oh, Angel, it looks great. Now I feel like it's Christmas. We have something to look at other than office walls! It's the best present you could have gotten us." _ Angelica blushed gently, her rosy cheeks dimpling in a grin. "_Thanks, Lees. But I kinda got it for me. The holidays make for homesickness ya know?" _ Trent clapped a wide hand on her shoulder, grinning down at his former student. "_We all know what you mean. But if we're done here, I have a meeting with Birkin to get to." _ The two women nodded, Trevor still enamored with the various lights to say much for a change. He waved upon exiting, as Trent pulling on his brown suit jacket that had been lying over the back of one of the sofa backs. Sitting down at the very couch that she had passed out on several weeks earlier, Angelica sipped on the coffee she had picked up on the way out of town at the Raccoon City Beanarama.

"_So, tell me how it is to work for the Devil?" _ Jokingly Angelica bounced her eyebrows at her friend, patting the white cushion next to her. Lisa made her way slowly over, enjoying the relaxation time of a small chat. Settling in, the woman smoothed her reddish tresses down a slim shoulder, her eyes crinkling in entertained happiness. "_Ehhh, not as bad as I thought. Plus, no offense, he's better to look at when bending over to get in the file folder." _ Trevor giggled like a schoolgirl, her rosy cheeks welling with a blush. Snickering at her friend, Angelica patted the female's knee in a playful reprimanding smack. "_Ohh you're bad…but really, tell me everything…I'm looking for leverage to get you back." _ Slyly Lisa shifted her eyes to the left side, then back to the right. Finally giving her former employer a crafty grin, she shifted forwards. "_Well, I did overhear an meeting that William and Wesker had last week…something regarding Marcus? I didn't hear much, they saw me standing by the copier too long and shut the door.." _ Angelica stopped mid-sip of her coffee, raising an arched eyebrow. Gulping back the silky liquid, she placed her cup down carefully, shooting a sideways glance at her friend. "_You might wanna tell me everything you heard, in detail….." _

…..

Knocking on the oaken door, Trent smoothed back his brown hair in the reflection of the window paned top. Frowning calmly, Charles sighed through his nose. His hair was so dark, but towards his ears, just at the hairline…was a touch of grey. It had been almost fifteen years since he had been acquired by Umbrella, and he always had thought that the stresses of the job had never made a…impressionable sight on him physically. But life was always getting more complicated, and now it seemed his hair was betraying his age.

The door swung open even as he tucked the last strand of chocolate locks behind his ear. Birkin's receptionist had a pile of files in her arms, and a bright smile pressing upon her lips. Blushing as that smile was turned his way, Trent bowed his head as she motioned for him to enter the office. "_Good afternoon, Dr. Trent. He's waiting for you in the back office." _ Sheepishly, the scientist fiddled with his glasses. He had always enjoyed the company of this particular woman. She was efficient and pretty, something he both liked in a female. But outside of formality…he didn't even know her first name. "_Ah, thank you Miss Laden! How was your vacation?"_

The woman's smile broadened, her left hand extending out. Her fingers fiddled one another, a sparkling wedding band glittering in the light. "_Mrs. Chambers to you, Doctor Trent. I got married finally!" _ Blinking in surprise, Trent inwardly winced. His heart sank, but he never showed it. The relationship was probably never meant to be….he was married to Umbrella after all. Forcing a weak smile as he hurriedly started to move towards Birkin's office, Trent graciously beamed. "_Congratulations, my dear. I didn't even know you were seeing anybody. Any news on starting a family?" _ The question was meant as a half handed rhetorical statement, but the woman called out chattily as he moved away. "_Harold was hoping to start trying in a few months… Heck we already picked out names…If it's a boy, Robert. If it's a girl, Rebecca."_

Chuckling nervously, Trent shut the door behind him, ending the uncomfortable conversation abruptly.

William looked up from his computer, an understanding smile spreading across his face. "_Talkative, isn't she? Should have heard how long the conversation was when I told her Julie was pregnant." _ Moving to the plush chair in front of the desk, Trent raised and bemused eyebrow. "_Ahh, yes. The ever infamous Sherry Alice Birkin is going to make her appearance in a few weeks isn't she? How is your wife taking the pregnancy?" _ Folding his hands over his knee, Charles indulged himself with idle workplace chitchat, at least the common courtesy of inquiring to his coworker's spouse. William smiled tiredly, the dark circles of sleepless nights only showing under his eyes minorly. "_She is as well as to be expected I suppose, but we need to save that conversation for another time. At the moment I have a proposition for you that is needing immediate attention. Only a few of us know this, and Spencer had deemed you worthy to be allowed the knowledge of some…privileged information. Have you been aware that James Marcus will be terminating his contract after the opening of the Estate Facility?" _ Trent snapped out of his languid pose, squared his shoulders back defensively. He was known as a man of information, but not even this office rumor had made it to his ears. Shaking his head vigorously, the man looked completely oblivious. "_I was unaware, when was this determined?"_

Birkin tightened his jaw, his dark eyes showing no forethought to the question. "_Spencer made me aware of this at the beginning of the training quarter. We will be needing a new Viral Engineer Manager, and Spencer himself recommended you, Charles. It is a once in a life time position, and if you turn it down, will not be extended again. Your salary will match that of Marcus, and our laboratories would be at your disposal. You have only need to say yes…" _

Charles Trent had never come across a question he could not readily answer. The man was brilliant in his field, being one of the first personal aids to the man he was now being requested to replace. Rubbing his forehead, Trent realized his palm had become clammy with undue stress, and his mind was clouded with doubt. Why after all these years would Marcus leave the company? After all, the man did own about a third..or at least that's what he had been told to believe. Trent's hazel eyes looked up, inquisitive nature prying itself from his lips before he had mentally halted himself. "_Am I allowed to know the reason as to why James is vacating his position?" _ William shrugged, acting as if he had no more knowledge than the questioner. "_Age perhaps? Retirement? My information is what I have revealed to you. But Spencer requests an answer by the end of the holiday quarter. If you need time to think on it, a couple weeks is all I can give…" _Standing from his seat, the other man brushed off his jacket front in force of habit. Sticking a hand out in formal greeting, Trent nodded. "_I will take you up on the offer to reflect on it. I will have a definite answer to you before the allotted time is up. Now, do we have any other business to discuss?" _ William shook his head; the firm shake finally releasing his appendage. As Trent moved for the door, Birkin spoke calmly. "_Oh and, Charles….do keep this meeting confidential." _ In jest, the other man looked over his shoulder, a slim smile crinkling. "_Threat or warning?" _

Birkin looked at his colleague stoically, his face a mask of seriousness.

"_Both."_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The syringe was posed over the tiny animal's sleeping body, its sharp needle shining with the yellow liquid that had escaped the tip. Angelica hesitated, holding her breath with quiet regret. Skeets was oblivious to her presence, his pudgy body curled about a stuffed puppy that she had given him after the rat had shown signs of withdrawn attitude. He had been living in a cage of fellow rodents until Marcus had chosen the tiny animal for testing, and after a few days, Angelica had become slightly attached to the little creature. It responded to her whenever she came near the glass cage, his red eyes wide as he scampered for a treat. Bacon….not cheese as one would think for a rat, was his favorite treat, and despite Marcus' fussing, Burrows sneaked a few pieces a week to her furry friend.

But now, they were at a crucial part of the testing. Attempting to use refined virus strains had failed on larger subjects like pigs, monkeys, and what not. So, in an attempt to still remain productive, Marcus had gone back to rodent trials. Burrows had remained apprehensive about the entire project, but was ever more so now that her favorite rat was being subjected to the sometimes violent tests. The rat had become quite the extraordinary piece of vision however, his clear, ruby eyes attentive and seemingly far more intelligent than before. His eating habits had become voracious due to a spike in metabolism, and all the aptitude tests had gone off the charts since the first dose of what Marcus was calling "Virus type T" .

When she had walked into the laboratory, Marcus had excitedly begun lecturing her on the new strain he wanted to test. Fishing out Skeets from his bin, the elated doctor placed the rodent in a larger, more open version of the previous tank. Several smaller rats milled about inside, mindlessly eating bits of hay and corn feed. Dark circles stood out against the older man's pale skin when Angelica had dared to scrutinize him. Her conclusion was he had pulled an all-nighter, and developed the newest strain that he eagerly wanted to experiment on the unsuspecting Skeets with. Angelica now stood poised, her hands in the hazmat gloves that were attached to the wall of the experiment tank. Her arms up to the elbows were in; where as the rest of her body lay out behind the shielding glass. The needle was inside the tank, being gripped by her small hand. Slowly she sucked in a breath, inserting the tiny piece of metal into the spinal area above the rat's neck, his tiny body squirming from the sting.

Angelica blinked slowly as the rat waddled away from her grasp, and back to the feeding bowl. Nothing seemed to be happening yet…then again not every experiment was instantaneous. Giving Marcus a side glance, an eyebrow arched over protective goggles she wore. "_What am I supposed to be watching for…" _ James moved to her side, his gaze transfixed on the glass. He seemed confused as well. Rubbing his ear, the man tapped a finger on the glass. Skeets looked up hopefully for his normal treat, crimson eyes slanting ever so slightly. In his mouth was a large piece of corn, teeth gnashing at the substance quickly. Seemingly disappointed at what he was seeing, Marcus moved back to his computer terminal. Typing for a few minutes, he remained deathly silent as Angelica watched him with her inquisitive eyes. A sigh broke from the older man's lungs.

"_Keep an eye on his vitals for the next forty eight hours. If nothing changes, then it will indicate that the virus remained dormant. If something alters, make me aware. I have some more calculations do to on the time proximities. I will take my leave…" _ Gathering a few of his scattered belongings, Marcus gave his companion a salutatory nod before heading for the door. Angelica took a hand out of a glove, a goodbye wave sending off before putting it back in the item. Looking back at her favorite rat as he ate, Angelica eyed him carefully. Was it her, or were his eyes becoming strange? Shaking off the feeling, she withdrew her hands. Moving to the same computer that her partner was using previously, she logged on with her own pass codes. Setting up the monitors to directly feed to her terminal in her personal apartment, Angelica switched off the monitor to 'power save' mode. Picking up a briefcase of paperwork that Marcus had left her, the tired woman rubbed the back of her neck. Moving towards the door, her exhausted hand flicked off the night switch. "_Good night, Skeets. I will see you tomorrow."_

When the darkness fell, a soft hint of red pranced about the see through cage. Beady eyes blinked slowly, teeth pulling back over the animal's lips in a soft hiss. Something felt wrong inside, something felt bad….and the Skeets knew it…

…

Wesker sat back in his office chair, raising and eyebrow at Birkin. William was so fidgety now a days, especially with the pending arrival of his first born. None the less, Albert craned his neck back in relaxation, despite his companion's eagerness to retreat home for the day. They both had been down in the Estate labs, trying to work out the various kinks in the updated computer systems they were installing. Ahh..Windows 98 was the new craze of speed and efficiency.

Tapping a slim finger to his wrist watch, Wesker huffed out air through his aggravated lungs. Sawdust was still not an allergy he liked to admit…

"_When is Spencer supposed to contact us, Will? I have another meeting to attend to. Some local who wants Umbrella to sponsor a task force for the area…just another charity mark off of course." _ Birkin nodded understandingly, watching the conference screen that was still blinking the Umbrella logo in circular, orbital motions. The pair had been waiting for almost half an hour past their normal stay, and now it was beginning to show. Birkin had repeatedly sharpened a pencil, whilst Wesker seemed content to grandiosely check his watch every now and then. Finally, the screen focused on the image of their employer, looking quite pleased with himself. His graying hair was slicked back, and the CEO was dressed in a bathrobe, his personal abode filling out the back round.

"_Ahh, gentlemen, sorry to have kept you waiting. There was a…personal matter I had to attend to." _ Spencer's eyes flitted off to something off screen, and neither of the other men dared to pry. Drawing his attention back, Ozwell lifted a posh cigar to his mouth, lighting and taking in the smoky curls of tobacco before heaving them out of his lungs. "_As you well know, I informed Marcus of his…termination last month. He did not seem to take the news well, but over time he has not re-mentioned the incident. This had led me to believe that he has been making plans…"_ Wesker leaned forward, his cold blues narrowed in probing inquiry. "_Plans?" _ Ozwell covered his lips briefly, a sickly couch rattling in his lungs. Recovering quickly, the indulgent man took another drag from his addiction. Exhaling gently, the smoke curled about his head demonically, filtering about in the yellow light. "_I have cause to believe that if he succeeds in the virus reconstruction, that James is planning to sell his findings to the BioHaze Corporation. They are a relatively new pharmaceutical company that is based out of Japan… I have phone records that indicate that he has been in contact with their CEO for about three weeks now." _

At this, Birkin set down his extremely sharp pencil. The man's dark eyes seemed amazed, if not shocked at the information he was hearing. Wesker merely took it in stride, his voice as even as ever. "_Then I suppose that our discussion at the beginning of the quarter may have to be put in effect. That is, if common reasoning will not sway him." _ Birkin felt his stomach turn over, his palms beginning to become sweaty. Wesker was a harder man than he in the…physical deterrent area. When things had to be cleaned up, Albert knew that his job would be called upon. Those who posed a threat were fore by warned, and if they didn't comply…were dealt with accordingly.

Birkin's eye twitched ever so slightly, his thumbs lacing over one another. Spencer cocked his head at the behavior, whitish blue eyes piercing and devilish. "_Do you have a problem, William?" _ Birkin's head snapped up, his face flushed with unprocessed emotions. Slowly his loosened from his paralyzed state, shaking his head in answer. "_No, but you have to understand there is some emotional attachment of sorts. The man practically raised us. It's hard to see him reduced to nothing more than a replaceable employee." _ Ozwell's coy attitude vanished, his clear eyes ablaze with disquieted rage. The veins upon his neck began to bulge ever so slightly, his shaking hand forcing another rift of calming tobacco through his system.

Within a few seconds, the man had regained his composure, the brief spit being wiped away like a flash of lightning. Frigidly, the man on the computer monitor glared at his protégé, not wasting an ounce of passion. His voice was eerily serene when he spoke. "_Emotional attachment is idiotic at this level of involvement. If you are unwilling to do what is asked of you, William, things can never go farther than a desk job. And you should learn by now that __**everyone**__ is replaceable. But now, if that is all, I have more things to attend to. And Wesker, if any other problems should arise, take care of them the same way as instructed with Marcus. Good evening, gentlemen." _ The screen went black, its shining surface reflecting the two men that watched it. The conversation was over.

Wesker stood, glaring at the wall. William shifted his gaze to him, noting the body language. He was going to get a lecture of some sorts..

"_When will you learn that this is a non-negotioniable situation, William?" _Birkin stood from his chair as well, breathing through gritted teeth. "_It's different for me, Albert. I have things to lose..my wife…my family..Sherry. I have reservations on it. That is all. I'm not backing out. If we are needed to do what's asked of us, I won't hesitate." _ A pained look at the first comment washed over Wesker's aqua hues, but vanished before being detected. For what it was worth, his friend was right. He had nothing to lose. Running a casual hand through his blonde tresses, Wesker shot his business partner a stern look. "_You had better not, or the both of us may go down. And that's not a option I am willing to dwell on. Don't let me down, William. Everything we are doing is worth the future we help create." _ Checking his wrist watch once again, the buffeted man sighed daintily. Fatigue was beginning to show, and Wesker hated to reveal any weakness. Replacing his frown with a smirk, his eyebrow rose. "_Well, I'm off into town. Would you care to join me deny funds to a deserving cause?" _

Birkin shook his head, opening a file drawer and selecting a few from the mass. "_I still have work here to do. Plus, I believe I will dig further in the BioHaz company situation. We may have a problem, we may not. I'm going to find out for myself." _ Wesker nodded, and strode towards the door. After his looming silhouette finally faded from view, Birkin sat down in his office chair once more. Opening the folder he had fished from the drawer, the man ran a hand through his hair. Wesker said that everything was going to be worth it, a classic 'the ends justify the means' mindset. He had that, but not as stonily placed as his friend's. William Birkin began to read James Marcus' file profile, his mind wondering that if everything was worth it…

Was a secure future…worth …murder?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

It was like a living nightmare.

She was out of coffee…

Frantic for her caffeine fix, Lisa Trevor practically ran down the hall towards the staff mini kitchen. Her heels clicked obnoxiously loud against the polished wood floors, only muted by the vinyl tile that she tread on in the kitchen. Searching the cabinets speedily, the woman finally sighed in relief as the tiny can of savior beans were found behind the plastic spoons. Hefting the tin town, Lisa popped the lid, and grabbed a paper towel off the rack. The coffee maker looked brand new, and not even used. What was wrong with people? Didn't people like coffee anymore? Shaking her head as she placed the paper towel in as a makeshift filter, Trevor hunted for the disposable cups. After locating an unopened pack, she filled the device with enough water to make a rather indulgent pot of coffee. Setting the timer, the woman watched eagerly as the machine did its work.

"_I wondered when someone would use that thing.." _ The voice nearly made the woman shriek, but instead she flushed a deep ruby when she saw who it was. It was late in the evening, and evidently he had been off the facility, his leather jacket only now melting the specs of snow that had clung to the shoulders. Taking a step back towards the counter, Lisa swallowed hard. Despite the fact she had been working for him for almost a month and a half now, they rarely saw each other because of scheduling. Daring to raise her emerald eyes up at him, she was shocked to see that he was smiling. Or was he smirking at her reaction? She could never tell…

"_I didn't know it was here til tonight. Uh..would..you like some..coffee? _"A delightful chuckle came from his lips, making the woman before him blush even more, much to her dismay. Nodding as he moved around her, Wesker retrieved a plastic cup from the package she had left out. "_Why not? It couldn't make me stay awake even if I tried this evening. And I didn't stop by the Raccoon coffee shop on the way out…" _ Was he actually…chitchatting with her? The coffee timer was nearly done, it's rich, sienna liquid filling the small cubicle with the delicious scent of roasted beans. "_Uh, wow. I haven't been into the town yet. Is it nice?" _ Nodding as he waited for the now done drink maker to cool, Wesker shrugged lightly. "_Tolerable. It isn't big, and it isn't small. The people are relatively cordial. Do we have any sugar?" _Taking herself out of the trance of watching him speak, Lisa realized she had been holding the coffee pot a few millimeters away from his cup, but not pouring. Nodding, the woman finished the job of pouring and replaced the container. Reaching up into the cabinet again, her height betrayed her. Quietly cursing a short stature, the woman pointed the shelf second from the top.

"_Perhaps someone with longer legs could grab it?" _Now that was a smirk playing across his mouth…

Wesker reached easily above her head, retrieving the sugar canister. Spooning some of the crystalline sweet into his own cup, he gave his assistant a sidelong glance. She was still as red as a fresh cherry in spring. He had known that this particular woman had enjoyed his presence for quite some time. Whenever he and William had made their visits to the Arctic Facility, she had ducked into an empty office just to avoid being seen one time. Oh, he did love to torture her, but as of late, he hadn't had the time. Swirling his coffee ever so slowly, his azure orbs flicked upwards at her over the rim. "_So, have you seen your former employer as of late?" _ Lisa seemed taken aback by the question, her lips twitching. Cocking her head to the side, auburn hair fell over her shoulder. "_Well..I did help her with the tree last week, but that was on my day off…." _

His control wasn't slipping, merely morphing into a convoluted way of manipulating. His stared at Lisa, his icy eyes intensely scrutinizing her every move. "_So, she hasn't told you anything about the work Marcus has her doing? Odd, I always thought you two were closer than just coworkers." _ The comment hit hard, the woman looking about to cry. Her eyes became glassy at the realization that…it was true. Outside of a 'hello, how are you?' email every now and then, the other day was the only time she had truly spent with her friend. And that made her angry…

Why had Angelica forgotten her after so long? Biting down on her lip, Lisa shook her head. "_I suppose that there isn't much time for a social life anymore?" _ Her voice quavered, sounding unsure in its own excuse. Wesker continued to watch over his swirling cup, enjoying the sight of a friendship unraveling.

"_Don't make excuses for her. William and I have even been halfway across the world from each other and could still manage to keep in relative contact." _ Trevor shifted uncomfortably, picking at her finger nails. Looking down at her shoes, the woman heaved out a dejected sigh. "_I suppose fair-weather friends are the hardest to admit.." _He had her…

Clearing his throat, Wesker set down the steaming cup of coffee. "_Then could you do me a favor? Since you don't consider the woman in question a close friend? There is some paperwork of mine that she confiscated from Ada before the switching of assistants. Shame she didn't fight for you harder..you are a good worker. But as I was saying, it deals of a virus strain type T. It's in the wrong department and I would like it back where it belongs. Marcus was supposed to forward it to me, but …I do believe the man is suffering from a forgetful nature." _ Lisa slowly nodded, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. Was Wesker actually asking her to do something other than take messages and file reports? Did he really trust her that much? Anger tainted her spirit. When Charles had come back that day that Angelica had stormed off with her contract, he had assured her that Angelica was making a case to help. But later that day she was informed that Angelica had in fact wanted her to be switched off her service… The news had devastated Lisa, who even dropped a few pounds from refusing to eat for a couple days. Angelica never came to check on her…

A furious fist clenched at her side, emerald eyes fiery and resolute. "_I'll see what I can do tonight. You'll get your information back, Sir." _ A warm hand placed on her cheek, sending a shockwave of unfamiliar sensations through the woman's skin. Wesker's face had moved close to her, his scent cloying and tingling at her nostrils. "_You are a true jewel, dear heart. I thank you for your loyalty. It will be rewarded." _ Lisa closed her eyes, his breath cascading down her like a warming embrace. Her body was trembling gently, the unprofessional side of her employer beginning to move things in motion that she had wanted for some time…

Then…he was gone.

Opening her eyes, the room was revealed to be empty. Looking down at the steaming cup of untouched coffee, Lisa watched the steam curl into the air. Was he playing her emotions? Was Angelica even caring about her… Even if he was playing her, Lisa Trevor didn't care. She wanted to remind someone who had used her and claimed to be a friend that she could get along without her. She wanted payback.

…..

It wasn't working, it was not…working. Why wasn't it working? Rifling through papers and files, James Marcus' blood shot eyes were narrowed and piercing. A tank of the swirling leeches was set up on his deck, the only source of calm he had during his ever frustrating quest. His entire career was on this…if he could not make the virus acceptable, BioHaz would not buy his work…

Smashing an empty beaker against the wall in anger, the disturbed scientist began to heave. The source of the emotional response was the readout printing off the computer. Wave frequencies were indicating a tracer on his machine…a bug. Typing furiously on the keyboard, Marcus ran a sleeper virus on his own computer, forcing whatever piggy back file to retreat back into its origin.

Slamming a fist down upon his wooden desk, James stood. His eyes were wildly searching around the room, scanning, prying. Slanting them into slits, the man boosted himself up on his chair like a step ladder. There was something dark…attached to the rim of the ventilation shaft. Straining to reach up, the paranoid man had his fears realized when he hand closed over the small device. Pulling back the object, Marcus crushed it was soon as it was identified..

A small, nano sized….camera. He was being watched…

…..

Ozwell Spencer snarled as the camera feed was snapped up from him. Black static filtered through on the mini cube of view console. The rest remained intact. Sighing as he took a sip from his alcohol filled glass; the devious CEO merely moved the camera angle. If he had a conscience, he would feel bad for his former colleague and friend. But oddly enough, he felt this large game of cat and mouse amusing, stimulating even. Passing a hand back into his greased, graying locks, Ozwell chuckled darkly. If knowledge was power…than he was a god. And an unforgiving god he was….

….

Spooning some microwave macaroni into a happily waiting, open mouth, Angelica slowly chewed. It was almost three in the morning, and still she was filling out report paperwork. God, someone could go stir crazy if it had been a person of less constitution. But there she was handwriting in corrections that Marcus was supposed to have done earlier that day. What had confused her earlier was a lack of funds being received for the end of the holiday quarter…it was as if someone had rerouted everything into a different account. Despite the fact of being computer savvy, Angelica could still not understand what had happened. After about an hour of trying to pull the old income files, she gave up, and added it into a fluke that the older system was going through. She'd go look for the paper copies tomorrow.

Idly checking her email, the tired woman yawned. Her chin was propped up on her hand, azure eyes barely keeping themselves open as they flickered across the page. Clicking over to her most recent messages, the woman blinked in surprise. An email from Lisa had just been sent about half an hour ago. The title seemed cryptic, now forcing the sleepy female to drag herself into a more awake state. "I have a few things to say to you." Blues eyes stared wide as Angelica read the header, her full lips pressing together in apprehension as she opened the message.

'_Angelica,_

_I don't even know where to start. We have known each other for quite some time now, and I had come to believe we were friends. But, I digress. It seems that friendship was only extended when I had some value to you. I don't appreciate being used like that, or deceived about situations of my employment.. _

_I will be retrieving the files from your office tonight. They were not dually yours to process and I have been instructed to do so. Thank you for your time, but if you wish to contact me on anything outside of business dealings, I will graciously refuse to answer. _

_Good evening,_

_L. Trevor.' _

Angelica's eyes were blazing, her cerulean orbs flaming with an unbridled fury. What the hell had happened? Why the hell did the woman think she could get into her office? She hadn't taken any files. What had led her closest friend to believe this? She had been dutiful to her comrade, sending weekly messages and leaving notes at the office asking her to join for a lunch. It had been LISA who had been ignoring any extent of human contact for the last few months. She had just seen the woman last week when they were decorating the tree for Christ's sake! And if Lisa could think she could get into her office without triggering the alarm, she was dead wrong. Slamming her fists down on the keyboard, letters flew off the piece of machinery and scattered across the floor. She gave up; tossing the flimsy chair she sat upon to the side, Angelica stormed to her bed. Crawling under the covers as she mumble cursed all the way through, the mentally exaughsted woman growled as she shut off the light. Lisa was right when she had said things might change. And they had…for the worse.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

She sat in her chair, straight, tall, and confident. It had only taken a few minutes to do what Wesker had asked thanks to his keycard, and Lisa Trevor felt as if she was top dog. The files had been rather easy to find considering she had been the one to file them, though she wasn't sure how that added up since Wesker had said Angelica didn't have possession of them until After Ada had been transferred. Lisa didn't let the problem worry her too much however, but the main thought was why Wesker needed all of Marcus' files? Was there going to be another switch around in people? She hoped so, and she also hoped abandonment prone, former friend of her would get demoted.

Fiddling with her pencil, Lisa calmly awaited for Wesker to come bursting through his office door, congratulating her on a job well done. Nothing came. Scrunching her eyebrows together as she sighed, Lisa began to rifle through her own email. She hated junk email, and often went through it twice a day. There was a pang of guilt in her core as part of her hoped that Angelica would have given some reaction to the nasty message she had sent last night. But there was none. The inbox was soon clear, and Lisa finally decided to just randomly change the setting on her company profile. She needed to take her avatar picture down anyway; it displayed her and Angelica in their lab coats, covered in slime that had exploded only seconds beforehand. Grimacing at the fond memory, emerald eyes wandered down to her saved contact list. Raising her eyebrows at the icon that referenced blocked users, Lisa frowned. She hadn't blocked anyone…why was there a one icon next to it?

Her fingers moved smoothly across the mouse, double clicking on the tab. The page pulled up, revealing Angelica's email address. Lisa nearly fell out of her chair in shock. She had most certainly NOT blocked Angelica. She couldn't just by mere fact of that was Angelica's business account as well. Reports that she had taken from Angelica's office…they must have been something far worse than just a wrong filing address. Swiveling her chair around to look at the closed inner office door, Trevor's face began to rise in color. There was soft shouting coming from within, and if she was sneaky enough..she could find out what wrongs she had exactly done. Early that morning when she had placed the files on Wesker's desk, she had come back to her own to find that there were several urgent messages from Marcus both electronically and paper wise. Transferring the next call to Wesker himself, Trevor had just now noticed that almost an hour later, they were both discussing things. And now with the raised voices and obvious betrayal in the air…she was going to eavesdrop.

Picking up the receiver, Lisa Trevor held her breath, stealthily listening to the forbidden conversation that was taking place in the other room.

…..

"_I've told you James, I have no idea what you are referring to." _

Wesker passed a languid hand over his eyes, a smirk ever growing at his lips. The man had no proof of what his was accusing him of, and he knew it. "_Don't play coy with me, Albert. I found the camera, and now my files are missing? Are you playing Ozwell's little game so willfully? Like a puppet on a string I would say. I am ashamed of you, boy. I trained you to know better than that." _ Marcus' voice was laced with anger and exhaustion, the fury he had been spouting for the last hour abating only because of that. His former protégé stayed calm at the accusations, merely sighing heavily every now and again. It was like a chore to deal with this man anymore, and Wesker knew that within the week, James would be one of two things. Primarily being no longer in service. Gruffly clearing his throat, Wesker snorted at the last statement as if amused. " _James, I have not installed any cameras in this facility except the security cameras that are no more unordinary than normal. If you broke one of them, then I will be sure to add it into your expense report. As for your files, why don't you take it up with Miss Burrows? She is your lab partner, perhaps she took the copies home with her? I have no knowledge of them and their contents. Why would I take them from you?" _

A stretch of silence came after the rational explanation, Marcus not having a retort ready for once. Not many could tell when Wesker was lying, and it was accomplishment if you could. His stony demeanor and emotionless voice was a hard match to read, and even though he did have the very files within his grasp, Marcus could not prove it. Static and a strange clicking noise moved over the line, followed by the low growl of a frustrated man that was cornered by his own situation. Wesker smiled to himself, fingering the marking tab that was on the pilphered folders. Snarling in defeat, Marcus hung up the line, but not before saying his last thought. "_You're just like Spencer, Albert. A traitor to a friend who would have stayed by you no matter what the cause. But just know that he will betray you in the end, just like he has everyone else. As for Miss Burrows? She is more the scientist that you will ever be, you prideful, egotistical, son of a bitch. I loved you like a father, and now, you are dead to me. You all are." _

Even after the line went dead, Wesker heard the inclination of a breath…

Quickly slamming the phone down in irritation, he stood up from his desk and walked towards the door. Throwing the panel of wood aside, a busy Lisa Trevor looked up from the file cabinet. The cabinet was far from the phone on her desk, the receiver hung sturdily on its cradle. Nodding to himself, the suspicious male began to move past and out of the office. Whirling back to face Trevor, his cold blue eyes seemed red in the glint of light. "_Miss Trevor, cancel all my appointments for this afternoon. I have something that needs my attention presently that was not expected." _ His assistant nodded, moving to her desk once more. With that, he left, striding swiftly towards Birkin's office. They were going to have to initiate Spencer's plan after all….

…

After he had exited the door, Lisa crumpled in her chair. Flicking off the speaker function to the telephone, the woman found herself trembling violently. Picking up the receiver, she dialed Angelica's office line. Praying that Ada would not catch it before her former employer did, Lisa nearly cried when the familiar sound of her friend's voice answered. "_Hello?" _ Sniffling and finally breaking down, Trevor began to cry, clutching the hand held close to her ear in order not to lose grip. "_Angelica, I'm so sorry….I've done something terrible." _

…

Trent moved to the cage, his eyes seemingly large, even more so because of the intense lenses he had in his glasses. That morning both Angelica and James had asked him to come to the laboratory for an opinion, and what he saw…took his breath away. He had personally never met Skeets the rat before, but Angelica's description of the rodent had been nothing short of normal. But now, before him stood and rat that was at least two feet long. Its eyes were blood red, the fur on its coat shimmering brilliant white under the light of the observation tank. There had once been a whole cage full of similar rodents, but their torn bodies were strewn over the hay laden, cage floor, seemingly partially consumed or just eviscerated. All the brown rats had been done such, but the ones that were white like Skeets, merely cowered in the corner away from their larger sibling.

Adjusting his glasses as he peered closer, Charles Trent seemed absolutely stunned. "_You say the virus enhanced his natural physique? But why did he kill the brown mice that were housed with him? Was he particularly an aggressive subject?" _ Angelica moved forward, a piece of what looked like uncooked bacon in her hand. "_Actually he was the runt of the litter. He's always been the submissive one. Marcus is thinking that the reason the others were killed, is because it was a different family type. Not the same DNA as Skeets. So…he viewed it as a threat and killed them." _ Tossing the piece of meat into the food dispenser, Angelica pushed the little tray through the one sided hole. Skeets immediately began to sniff the air, his large whiskers twitching happily at the familiar scent. Waddling over to the container that held the grain and special treat, the animal began voraciously eating. Trent raised his furry eyebrows at the sight, looking up as a haggard Marcus entered the room. "_And his appetite has been phenomenal..it's as if he is eating for ten rats." _Marcus cleared his throat after the statement, tapping the glass above the food receptacle. "_Angelica, you feeding him meat like this might be another reason as to why he attacked the others. Have you noticed that some of them have been eaten upon?" _

Pressing her forehead against the glass dejectedly, Angelica sighed. A little bacon never prompted anybody to attack anyone before..but then again rats were different. It was hard to believe that Skeets had slaughtered nearly half a dozen of his own kind, their bloodied bodies strewn in the hay upturned and grotesque. Was it possible her little treat habit had turned the animal carnivorous when they injected him with the virus? Casting a glance about the morbid sight, Angelica's eyes alighted on a movement around the brown corpses. It was an injured brown rat, its beady eyes upturned in pleading. Angelica placed her palms on the glass as she gasped in horror. Its leg was hanging by skin, dragging along the floor of the cage lifelessly. "_Marcus! One survived but…oh god…its leg…we have to get the subject out of there!" _Both she and Trent slid on the handling gloves, turning back only to have been too late. Skeets turned on the other animal, his whiskers sticking out defensively as he spat. The mutatedly huge rat danced on his tiptoes, attempting to intimidate the other rodent down. But he did not make the first move…..

The brown rat moved forward ever so slowly, each breath it took in labored and painful. The blood crusted leg seemed to almost twitch on its own, even though severed from all muscle contraction. Stopping a mere foot away from its adversary, the animal screamed. It wasn't a normal scream like a human would have emitted, but one that nothing in nature can compare to. Angelica nearly bit her tongue at the noise, its sheer fright echoing in the laboratory's confines.

The muscles began to expand beneath the tattered flesh of the rat, the rib bones snapping and cracking. Soon enough a tumor that looked nearly as large as the rodent itself burst from its bowels, wrenching free blood and fluid from the hole. A screeching, grating noise was still coming from the tortured rodent, its brown fur now a mass of blood and puss. The disconnected leg sprouted as it rejoined its body, a sharp claw amassing from the tiny foot. The pulsing creature walked forward like a scrabbling crab, the tumor having now split the forehead of its face into a useless guidance. The eyes turned purple with backed up blood, swelling until one burst altogether.

Marcus began to yell, bring back the minds of his aghast colleagues. "_Quickly, gas the tank! We cannot risk this getting out and infecting ourselves!"_ Angelica froze, watching her favorite pet as it joined its brethren in the corner for safety. The group hissed and spat at the being of strangeness that was lumbering their direction. Trent had joined in, repeating what Marcus had said, but to Angelica, it sounded as if their voices were underwater. Skeets looked up pitifully, his pink nose twitching in fear as the eminent danger was drawing closer.

Angelica felt herself be slammed to the side, her hip connecting with the wall to brace the impact. Charles had pushed her out of the way, his large hand slamming on the button that released the toxic gas that would wipe out all of the danger. Gasping in shock as she held her head in her hands, the image of the frightened, red eyes burned into her mind. She should have separated him from the bunch. She should have made sure that they had watched the other rats better. She should have done…something…..

Aquatic fluid poured from her cerulean eyes as she looked up. The gas had done its work, sending all creatures, including the unnatural, to their peaceful demise. Skeets looked serene as he laid on his spot, dark eyes closed in eternal slumber. She had lost her only friend left….

Sighing in relief as he looked over to Marcus, Trent helped the broken Angelica to her feet. "_I'll leave you to the cleanup, James. I think Angelica needs to recuperate." _ Marcus nodded, trying to hide his elation behind a stiff nod. As the pair moved from the room and up the ascending steps, the man practically flew towards the computer terminal. Nothing had shown applicable until now, and a further study of Skeets' remains may prove that he would have the prototype to his virus…and would prove that he had leverage… Placing on safety gloves and eye mask, the doctor swiveled around in his chair with a scalpel. As soon as the gas was filtered out…he would have his answer…

…

"_I can't believe that just happened." _

Charles looked at his younger colleague, his eyes still wide from the horrifying experience. Angelica settled into her desk chair coldly, her own eyes distant and not meeting his. She hadn't said a word the entire walk there, and the bags around her eyes seemed to have darkened. The woman was calm however, her fingers tapping over her computer keyboard in rhythmic motions. Trent noted the lack of conversation, his curiosity finally getting the better of his tact. "_How many times has something like that happened, Angelica…" _ Sighing as she looked up from her work, Angelica finally returned his gaze with an icy, emotionless stare. Leaning back in her chair, she steepled her fingers in thought. "_A few times, but all were instantaneous…and ended in death seconds later. I've never seen it passed on by a bite though…. That brown…thing had been bitten by Skeets almost….two hours before the transformation. We had not even registered life signs….We thought it was dead…" _ Exhaustion laced at her voice, topaz eyes slightly glazed over with the mental strain. She had grown to like Skeets….even love the overly affectionate rodent. On lonely nights in the lab, she had often put him on her shoulder. He had stayed, occasionally switching shoulders as she moved about in toil, nosing her ear whenever he wished to be put back in his cage. Angelica knew she would miss that…she would miss her furry companion…

Trent looked at her from over the rim of his glasses, clearing his throat and pausing in wary approach. "_And how much time are you spending down there? You don't look good, Angel." _ Swiveling her chair to the side and back again, Angelica frowned at the question. In truth, it had been too much. Marcus was prone to his off days, but when he had an idea..they both would stay up possibly two days straight in order to test it. Shaking her head as she passed her fingertips through long, blonde strands, Angelica looked at the clock. "_This makes hour number twenty six I've been up straight. But it's all for something good, right? Everything comes with a price." _ Blinking slowly as he studied her, Trent scoffed under his breath and he adjusted his specs. She had grown up so fast…yet as a friend, he felt the need to protect her has his adoptive daughter. Tsking at her, the man looked at Angelica firmly. "_True, my dear. But if your are not careful, every scientist becomes the experiment. Don't shut yourself away like James has; don't let this job take your humanity." _ Snickering at her former mentor, the woman stood up from her chair. Placing a hand on his shoulder as she moved closer, Angelica flashed the familiar, bright smile. "_Of course not. Not with you around to keep me grounded. Sometimes it feels like you're the only friend I have in this place… Lisa somehow has got it in her head that I hate her or what not… She isn't speaking to me anymore… It's been….lonely, that's for certain. Not a good thing to be a few days before Christmas…" _

Trent's eyebrows shot up in surprise, almost to his thinning hairline. "_What happened? You both were inseparable for the longest time.." _Shrugging as she moved for the door, Angelica frowned, her smile disappearing once more. "_I have no idea…it's like someone…."_

The sharp ring of her personal telephone sprang from the desk, causing both conversing people to jump. Leaning close to the doorway, Angelica shouted to Ada, who was about to pick up the call. "_I've got it…you can…go back to whatever you were doing…" _ The young, Asian female sneered in perceptively, returning to filing her long, ruby fingernails. Angelica hopped over to the desk, lightly trapping the receiver with two fingers. Pressing the phone to her ear, the weariness was forced out of her voice as she answered. "_Dr. Angelica Burrows office, this is ." _

A sob broke through in the static, causing Angelica to furrow her neat eyebrows together. A woman was sniffling and crying, a woman that she knew very well. Lisa Trevor's voice quavered and broke as she spoke over the line. "_Angelica, I'm so sorry. I've done something terrible….."_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"_It seems that your foreknowledge of this problem proved correct, Ozwell." _

Wesker's gravely voice seemed grimmer than normal; his forceful release of a file folder sent the packet of information skidding to his superior's grasp across the wide, mahogany desk. William stood by watching carefully, trying to determine whether or not to restrain his own information findings. He had searched, dug, and unfortunately come up with many connections that had led him to the very fact Spencer had told them the day before; Marcus was selling Umbrella information to a new pharmaceutical company in Japan named BioHaz. The stream of data had been masked under junk emails sent to the company's president, hidden carefully under what looked like possible virus attachments. James was smart, but not smart enough. The information had oddly enough started only the week after the training camp was reopened, causing Birkin to wonder of Marcus had found out about his early 'retirement' sooner than anticipated. Was Ozwell trying to pit them against each other?

Shaking his head at the last thought, William watched as Wesker placed both of his palms flat onto the ledge of the desk. His spine looked rigid through his thin, ebony shirt as he leaned over to speak angrily to the still reclining Spencer. Ozwell seemed perfectly at ease, puffing on a rather expensive looking cigar. Flipping through the folder, he languidly waved his free hand. "_It confirms what I have told you all along my dear man. He has been hiding research and selling it to the highest bidder. Our discussion a couple of months ago was on this matter, more so than not, and we both knew that …elimination of the problem would be needed." _ It was so cold and emotionless how the man's words spilled out, his liquid eyes staring expectantly at his employee. Ozwell Spencer was a hard man to read, even for Wesker, and in his mind…that made him dangerous. Azure eyes leveled at Spencer, a sigh cascading out of Wesker's mouth almost accidentally. "_Are you sure this….._

…_is necessary?" _ Two and a half months ago Wesker stated the same question, his face a mask of blank ambiguity. Ozwell smiled at him and William with a forced happiness, his hands tightening upon the armrests of the antique chair in which he was sitting. Things had to be set in place before opening the training center, and Ozwell Spencer was about to reveal a defining moment in Umbrella history. The moment when everything…went down hill. Slicking back a stray piece of graying hair, the CEO retorted rather snippily. "_I've discussed it with the Ashfords on numerous occasions. We are all having problems with missing funding monies, and it all points to James. I plan to make him aware of termination at the Holiday Quarter." _ Birkin cleared his throat, leaning forward slightly as he shifted his weight onto his right side. Biting his cheek, the man raised the question that both he and Wesker were both thinking. "_And if he does not take the news well? What then if he takes his work elsewhere? There are many companies out there that would die for just a peek into our confidentials….the PR would chew our company into bankruptcy if they knew about our viral experiments…" _

Calmly Spencer refilled his crystalline drinking glass with its alcohol. Taking a sip of the amber liquid, he regarded the question posed. He was completely calm, cool even. His tone was monotone, quiet, and serene. "_Then, gentlemen, we will Deal with the problem should it arise." _ Wesker looked up suddenly, his sharp eyes calculating the statement. "_What do you mean 'Deal', Ozwell." _The CEO cocked his head to the side, a sly smile now hidden by the glass he was drinking from once more. After swallowing deliberately, the man set down the glass purposefully slow. Clasping his hands together as he leaned forwards, Ozwell Spencer sighed heavily. "_You and I both know fully well that no matter how close we are to an individual, that we can't put their interests ahead of those of the company's. Now, I am fully aware of both of your relationship to Marcus, and I am not implying he actually would betray us in such a manner. But if he puts his own emotions ahead of what is good for the people we are trying to help, then we must 'Deal' with him. Do you remember what I had Jack deal with in the Okani incident? Our share holder decided to back out with our files…" _

Birkin started in his seat. The incident had not been mentioned for almost five years, and only they, the Ashfords, and Spencer knew of it personally. Okani Teska had been their share holder in Japan for almost ten years when he had decided to betray the very company that had built him from the ground up. The man had stolen various samples and file reports on the Progenitor strain that Marcus and Ashford had been refining. Teska's plan was to sell it to the Russian military…

Needles to say, the plan ended in a destroyed facility, and a dead man. To compare James Marcus to such a man was completely outrageous.

William cleared his thick throat, a thin line of nervous perspiration forming under his shaggy bangs. "_Do you think it will come to that? He has been with this company since it was first formed. Besides, it isn't like you are completely pushing him out. He will still have his share holdings and the illusion of power within the company." _ Ozwell leveled his glare at William, his mouth twitching. Was it twitching because of anger…or amusement? Setting his jaw at the young man, Spencer shook his head curtly. "_The Ashfords and I have discussed Complete removal. Pulling our resources together, we have come to the agreement that his shares are to be bought out and split between us. The project will be handed over to yourself and Albert, and all illusion of power will not be present. This is why we must have a plan, and I want you both to implement it. He would have a pension, yes, but I'm not all certain he would not do what you are suggesting, William, out of a sense of betrayal on our part. But he is a smart man…perhaps he would not dare to cross Umbrella." _

A shiver ran down William's spine as he looked sideways at his business partner. Albert looked transfixed or completely turned into plaster as he listened to Spencer. Wesker's eyes seemed to tell another story however, one of inward conflict. Marcus had been a father, a brother to them both, and now the possibility of having to take that life was weighing in their hearts dually. Would James Marcus betray the only family he had… Spencer's cool gaze looked coyly at his programmed employees, now picking up his drink once more. Leaning back into his luxurious seat, he narrowed his eyes. "_Do what you must, but….._

_Deal with it or I will have someone else deal with All my problems."_

Wesker twitched as he glared at Spencer, partially wanting to take all frustration out on a man who was commanding for murder. The memory from the past still lingered in the back of his mind, teasing, tempting him to merely leave… It had been an entertaining thought for quite some time for the young man, but two things were keeping him back. The company would surely hunt him down as they had down and were doing right now. And William…a loose end that they could blackmail him with at any time. William was his brother, despite no shared blood, and he would never put that man and his family in danger… Straightening himself up, Albert Wesker swallowed back his hatred once more, letting it fester in his inner silence. Smoothing back his hair and composure, the man nodded stiffly before turning for the door. Spencer cleared his throat, causing both men to look back before exiting. "_Oh and , Albert, William, I prefer for it to be dealt with during the Christmas Eve ball that will be held in the new facility two days from now. It would be the …perfect opportunity. Good evening, gentlemen." _

As they exited into the hallway, William turned to grip his friend's arm feverishly. "_We can't do this, Albert. We have to leave…We can just walk away." _ Wesker's eyes looked up, icy and rageful at the suggestion. Shaking off his comrade roughly, he folded his arms with a look of pure distain. "_Walk away? I could, but you? You've built a life within these walls, Will. They know your family, where you live… You can't walk away any more than Marcus could… He's betrayed us, the company, and this will secure our place of power in Umbrella for years to come. Don't be selfish." _ Taking a step back from his friend, Birkin looked as if he had been slugged in the gut. His face was contorted, his words becoming choked as he realized what Albert was saying….was true. "_He was a father ..a mentor to us…" _ Wesker almost hissed at the statement, his sharp teeth bared as he ground them. "_Julius Caesar killed his father on his very throne to claim the crown, Will. History repeats itself at times. We are the sons claiming our birthright; do not make it more complicated than that. He betrayed us and this company, and I for one will not put my neck on the chopping block for a traitor. Marcus chose the wrong decision, and now these are the consequences… Blood for blood." _ Turning away from his companion, Albert Wesker stalked down the empty hallway with his own thoughts. Did he even believe his own words? …Perhaps not, but either way, his conscience was long dead, and what needed to be done would be done. If only to keep William's family safe. This were going dire wrong in Umbrella, and he was going to find a way out one day…but not today….today he was the wet work…

…

After the phone call had ended and Angelica had somehow managed to get into Wesker's office and to Lisa without even remembering how. The empty threat that she had received the previous evening had actually been carried out, and with the help of Wesker himself. Blood boiled behind her eyes, causing anyone who had come across her on her trek to the room merely to move quite quickly out of her way. Now crouched before a distraught Trevor, Angelica was forced with the task to swallow her rage, and comfort a friend who had been direly misled. Lisa was shaking in her office chair, sobbing quietly into her hands. Her face was red, muddy tear tracks of mascara running down her plumpish cheeks. "_Oh, I…I..I can't believe I did this….I can't believe I believed I believed..I…you would never…I can't believe…" _ Placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, Burrows sucked in a deep breath. "_Lisa, Lisa, honey, breathe…It's ok. Corporate plays their little games to find out what the other side is doing all the time. But I want to get something straightened out… And I know…it's going to sound fishy.." _

Trent cleared his throat suddenly, making the conversation pause briefly. Angelica looked up expectantly, but the man shook his head in response to signal for her to keep going. He had followed behind to find out why he could hear Lisa crying all the way from across the desk where he had been sitting earlier. Watching their mutual friend closely, a sudden thought popped into his mind. If they were going to terminate Marcus…why would someone like Wesker need an assistant to steal the man's files?

Angelica stood up, squaring off with her friend who was just now starting to calm down. Lisa clutched at a crumpled piece of tissue, her red nose sniffling softly. The other woman looked her in the eye, her voice calm, but authoritative. "_Lisa, I have been contacting you this entire time. Have you gotten any of my emails?" _Trevor looked up shell shocked, her red eyes blinking ever so slowly. Jerkily her voice answered. "_No…have you gotten any of mine?" _ Angelica took one step back, a deadly thought now dawning on her. Shaking her head likewise, she sighed audibly. "_Other than the one last night, no…." _ Turning to the computer screen in front of her, Trevor typed in her personal email log in with an expert's swift hand. A loading page filled the screen, unanswered and unopened emails sent from the web address filling the screen. Despite Angelica's normal, calm demeanor, she gasped. None of these had come through… For two months, Lisa had dutifully emailed every day….and none had ever been seen by their intended recipient.

"_I tried reaching you…I thought I was a fair weather friend…or that I didn't matter anymore…Little did I realize that wasn't true. Wesker just used me to get to you, which in turn got to Marcus…." _ Angelica sat down hard in the other chair, running agitated fingers through her long, blonde hair. Her azure eyes still couldn't believe what they were seeing… Trent stepped forward, his arms folded as he watched the screen in front of him. "_Then how did you get that email to her last night, Lisa?" _ Trevor shrugged, tapping her finger against her bottom lip. "_I did use my company address instead of my personal…Are you saying it may have been a system fluke?" _Shaking his head, Charles stepped around the desk. "_No…but it would make more sense. It looks like Wesker and Birkin have been playing you both all along to find out what exactly Marcus has been doing. Birkin approached me earlier this week…This doesn't leave the room…but they are looking for a replacement for James. Perhaps they are gathering as much information as possible before he destroys it…or goes elsewhere." _ Angelica looked up in surprise at Trent, her sapphire eyes narrowing in disbelief. Secrets…everyone here kept secrets, and even an old friend was now withholding valuable information?

Gritting her teeth, she stood up, smoothing down her black pants leg. Casting a glare towards Lisa, she frowned, but not at her poor, misguided friend. She was going to get even with Wesker…"_Lisa, where is Albert now? He isn't here obviously…do you know how long he may be gone?" _ The red faced woman shrugged, her green eyes widening as she understood why Angelica was asking the question. "_He told me to clear his schedule…He's been gone for some time, so I'm guessing he took the day…You aren't going to…really…" _Angelica shook her head, eyeing the back office wistfully. "_No, but I'm working on an idea. If we can get those files back, we can possibly get enough proof to Spencer that those two are trying to steal confidential information under our very noses. That should keep Marcus out of their spotlight for awhile, at least long enough to figure out why the hell they are so interested in our viral research. It's nothing more than low level DNA manipulation; it could never amount to anything other than rejuvenation of dead cells. Like pseudo stem cells almost…" _ Trent shot a dangerous look at his young friend, his eyebrows shoot upward. "_Perhaps it's something more, Angelica…after all, remember what happened in the lab earlier? It's far more powerful than just 'stem cells.'" _Shuddering at the thought, Angelica eyed the top email that was displayed across Lisa's computer screen.

Moving the cursor over to it, she reached over her friend's shoulder to double click the application. The page flashed upwards, scrolling text looping gloriously across.

Resident's of the Raccoon Facility.

You are all invited to the Holiday Quarter ball on December 24th, 1988. Dress in your formal attire and celebrate the holidays with your family at the Umbrella Corporation! All project managers are required to attend, but normal employee attendance is optional!

Happy Holidays

Ozwell E. Spencer. 

A sly smile began to creep across Angelica's face as she read the message, much to the confusion of her fellow companions. Looking over her shoulder at the two of them, the coy woman finally straightened up. "_I believe we just got our excuse to find out whether there's more to this or not, but I'll need both of your's help. And a nice dress…."_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

William straightened in his tuxedo, fumbling to adjust the black bowtie that clung to his neck. Grumbling as the article of clothing did not go the way he was attempting, the man was just about to give up when an extra pair of hands moved in from around his waist. A soft, female voice caressed his ear, immediately calming the frustrated male. "_Would you like some help with that, honey?" _ Looking over his shoulder, Birkin smiled warmly at his wife. Despite the fact she was eight and a half months pregnant, she was stunning. Her body was hugged by a silver evening gown, her belly bump wrapped tightly in the secure fabric. Letting his eyes wander to her cleavage, the approving husband got a wicked grin. "_Oh, you already have, Annette. You sure you don't just want to …stay here? "Annette_ came around to the front, her arms folded in playful disapproval. "_Eyes up here, lover boy. And yes, since when have you heard of a pregnant woman giving up the chance for free dessert?" _ Smirking at his wife, William pulled her closer to his body. He closed his eyes, her smell comforting his stained soul. Well, it wasn't stained…quite yet. After tonight, he prayed that he could still be the man she loved and held at night. Brushing his lips to hers, the husband decided to steal what was already his. Returning the affection, Annette wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips pressing back with equal vigor. Slowly, they dwindled down, gentle pecks stifling the passionate press. Breathing out in a sigh, Annette kept her eyes shut as she leaned her head upon his chest. "_I love you, Will." _ Smiling to himself, the happiness faded as darker thoughts invaded his mind. Birkin placed his chin upon her head, his arms loosely wrapped about his wife's bare shoulders. "_I love you too, Annette, no matter what happens." _

Looking up at her husband, Annette's eyebrows scrunched together. "_What do you mean, 'whatever happens.'?" _ Shaking his head, Birkin placed a thumb over her frowning lips. "_I mean….whatever life throws at us, I'll always love my lady. We are going to be parents soon…and that's going to change everything. Such little things can change everything…..just know that I love you, ok?" _ Annette nodded as she fixed her spouse's tie, her deft fingers smoothing down the collar. "_Of course, William. I always will love you…no matter what…."_

Nodding as he moved from her side, William Birkin painted a reassuring smile upon his mouth. Nudging her shoulder with his hands, the patient husband steered Annette towards the door. "_Why don't you go on out to the car, Dear? I have a few things to gather in my office before we leave." _

As soon as she was out of sight, Birkin moved from the bedroom into the adjacent room. Their house was spacious, and Annette had insisted that when they moved in, he was to take the study for a personal, home office. It was small, but efficient, and held all the work he needed extra attention to. Moving to the opposite side and underneath his steel plated desk, William bent on one knee to reach a small, square safe that was tucked beneath the file drawer. Flicking the combination lock, he sighed as the door finally clicked, signaling that is was free to open. Swinging the heavy, but small door ajar, he reached inside. The glinting steel of a 9mm Beretta sparkled into view, feeling dead and cold in his palm. Staring at the weapon briefly, William took a deep breath, recalling the conversation that he had held seconds ago. Annette's voice rang out in his head, echoing within the confused passages of his mind. '_Of course, William. I always love you…no matter what…' _ Whispering the words back to himself as he tucked the weapon safely within his coat pocket, William Birkin leveled his eyes towards the front doorway. Grimly he growled beneath his own breath, trying to convince he psyche of his sin being a saintly deed.

"_You'll always love me, Annette…no matter what…" _

…

Christmas Eve….it was supposed to be a time of holiday and relaxation with family. But not a time for bloodshed…

Wesker slicked back his hair in the musty mirror, wiping his hand free of the extra style gel with a hand towel that lay on the sink. Tonight would change everything…on this Christmas Eve…

Hunching over the warm water that ran steadily, the tormented male breathed in the vaporous steam. It calmed…it was simple…. Why couldn't life be simple? Why couldn't everything be normal… Complacent in violence, comfortable with murder, that was his view of 'normal'. Despite his comfortable nature about taking a life, this one in particular caused him to hesitate…to pause. And he hated himself for it…he hated his weakness…

Looking upwards at the mirror once more, Albert Wesker bite down upon his teeth. Sapphire eyes stared back at him, cold, unfeeling. He wanted more out of life…he wanted to be everything that he could, and obstacles of the doldrums constantly were in the way. But did he consider James to be one of them? Was James Marcus an enemy to be eliminated and forgotten? Closing his eyes as he remembered the snarling voice, Wesker could feel the silence answering his inner question. '_. I loved you like a father, and now, you are dead to me. You all are.' _

Cerulean fury flashed open, the newly brewed anger streaking across his agonized features. Stalking from the bathroom where he had been preparing for the evening, Wesker crossed to his bed and to the clothes that laid out, already hand picked. Ebony slacks, dress shirt and silver tie, paired with a heavy trench coat that would surely keep out the winter's bite. The garments were swiftly used, their owner clad now in the evening attire. Pausing before the full length mirror that was fixed on the opposite wall, Wesker frowned. It was a shame to have to get blood on his new coat… Crossing to his nightstand before exiting the room, a gloved hand opened the drawer with deft flick. A twin copy of Birkin's Berretta shone on the lamplight, lying cold in the palm of its owner. Spinning the tool of death around his finder, Wesker watched the shining piece of metal disappear into the right pocket of his leather coat. Setting his jaw as he flicked off the light, Wesker's dark silhouette vanished into the shadows. Tonight everything was going to change. Tonight a prince of Umbrella would take his rightful throne from the king…..

…

Looking around the corner of the room, Lisa swallowed hard. This was too much…

The ballroom was brilliantly lit, many mirrors around its circular walls. People were talking and laughing, the bright colors blindingly gorgeous against the superior white wash of the walls. Chandeliers hung from every dip in the ceiling, their crystal glory sending sparks and patterns of light dancing across the room. This was the newly refurbished Arklay Mountains Estate, and this was the new facility. It had taken Lisa almost five minutes to catch her breath when the limo had pulled up to the very front, the four terrace stone staircase winding up the front and into the giant double doors. Guests from several of the other facilities had shown, project managers, district heads, and even Edward Ashford and Ozwell Spencer himself. The two men had been the center of attention of their guests, mingling in with the crowd and disappearing out of sight. Lisa had been curious about the under ground panel that was supposed to be shown later that night. She stood gaping at the fifty foot projection screen, finally dragging herself away in search of Trent and Angelica.

Now lingering at the doorway corner, Trevor stood close to the wall. She felt silly as the men gave her smiles, being as half of the people that she worked with never had seen her out of pants. An emerald dress hugged her plumpish figure nicely, a droop of frills swooping around her shoulders and mingling in with her hair. Over the last couple months she had let her auburn locks freely grow, and now they just tumbled past her white shoulders in a thick curl. Looking back and forth, the young woman nervously chewed her lip, praying that the plan they had hashed out would work… If it didn't all three of their jobs would be on the line….

A strong hand fell to her shoulder, causing the already flighty woman to nearly squeal. Turning around, Lisa smiled as she recognized the person, finally thankful for some company. "_You have to stop sneaking up on me, Trent…Or one of these days I'll have to hurt you!" _ Charles grinned, his brown eyes looking wide and with feigned fear. Putting his hands up on a defensive gesture, the man chuckled. "_Hey, I had to make sure that you were Lisa. I mean..the Lisa I know won't wear a dress if her life depends on it." _ Trevor hands went to her hips, a finger held up in a warning, scolding manner. Trent himself was dressed in a rather suave suit, his light brown hair combed to the side and slicked down. Lisa's face was red, slightly embarrassed by the stab at her attire. Lowering her voice as she sidled next to him, her tone was that of hushed anxiety. "_We have to blend. That's what Angel said… and our lives very well might depend on it. Have you seen her arrive yet?" _

Shaking his head, Trent sucked in a deep breath. Last night's plans had been laid out step by step, but he was still nervous. Something didn't feel right about the whole thing, and he prayed to God that Angelica knew exactly what she was doing.

…

Silver tipped heels clicked in anxious waiting, a silken clad body constantly shifting to get in a more comfortable position. Angelica hated big parties, and wanted the evening to hurry along to the real event she had planned. The only problem was… she was late. The chauffeur had apologized multiple times, and she did feel sorry for the boy. A young man who was barely eighteen had been hired to drive the spacious limo, and he himself had been late to his shift because…oh what was it? Something he had rambled on about class taking forever. The youth had immediately rambled on about taking a crass course piloting class, and that graduation was only a week away. Angelica had merely nodded and fidgeted as the young man chattily talked, occasionally answering a few questions. Now pulling up the Mansion, even the talkative teen seemed hushed. The limo slowly banked around to the front, pulling up feet away from the staircased entrance.

The engine hushed as the young driver exited, shuffling around to open the door courteously for his female passenger. Tipping his hat as she exited the vehicle, the man blushed lightly. "_Thank you for being so understanding ma'am. It's not everyday that folk like you don't take offense to a motor mouth like me_._ Would that be all, Miss?" _ Smiling as she moved from her seat, Angelica shook her head slowly. When she fully stood, she leaned over with a hand extended outwards to hand the young man something. Tucked between her concealed fingers was a small wad of some rather large denominated bills. The chauffeur's eyes became large, his lips stuttering as she spoke to him. "_Actually, Bradley, I need you to stay around a bit. I'm going to need you to take me somewhere else this evening before the final trip home. Now, I'm aware that the company has only paid you for two trips, one here and back, but this will be for two extra… And keep it confidential. I've included and extra five hundred for your time. Could you do that for me?" _ The toe headed teen nodded vigorously, slipping the extra cash into his pocket. Stuttering as he gave the lovely woman before him a mock salute, Bradley slowly slipped back into his driver's seat. "_Yes, Ma'am. I'll be waiting at the end row. Just signal me when you are ready for your ride!" _

Chuckling under her breath as the excited adolescent pulled off, Angelica shook her head. Despite she had seemed inattentive; she had listened to his aspirations of piloting. Hopefully this would help the young man along as well as help her with her own plans. There would be something special about Bradley Vickers…she just knew it…

Turning her head up to the staircase, azure eyes strayed to the double doors that lay at the base. They were barred off for some odd reason, forcing the guests to travel up the stairs to gain entrance. Scrunching her brow together as she thought, Angelica realized that the Arklay Facility was not actually **in **the Mansion Estate. It was **under** it…. Hiking up her skirts to step up the staircase, Burrows took a deep breath. What kind of a company that mean no harm….hid a facility from the world? There was only one way to find out…

…..

His brain ached. No, it burned, but even then he pushed on. It had been almost forty eight hours since the incident with Skeets and his siblings, and just now the secret of the DNA was revealing itself. James Marcus was hunched over a microscope, screaming in absolute joy at the information he had discovered. The T cell virus was mutatable, conjoining and resurfacing dead DNA into live tissue. It was a spawn from the T, but not that strain completely. The environment had forced it to change, forced it to grow into something far more powerful. It would become the world's greatest BIO-weapon, and he would rule with the iron fist of industrious knowledge. James Marcus finally had discovered his G-virus.

The paperwork had to be sent; the leeches had to be contained. So many things that he had held no joy or love for now had new interest. Life was exciting again. He could live without Umbrella….and he would be the successor of the world. His precious 'children' had taken well to the new strain the night he had decided to share it with them. Their bodies had grown larger, and their minds forming intelligence beyond just some sluglike creature. His babies were alive and bonding….they loved their creator and God, James Marcus.

Running his hands through his hair as he set to work on boxing up his work, Marcus giggled like a maniac with a bad joke. But the only bad joke was now Umbrella….and Spencer. He had outwitted them all….and now he was going to build a new empire, one that would dwarf Umbrella in all its shining splendor. Spindly fingers began to type, the connection to the BIOHAZ server established. A video feed moved through as an Asian oriented male's face began to focus into view. "_Marcus, do you realize what time it is over here? Why are you bothering me…" _ James' face split into a fanatical grin, his eyes shining with a sleep deprived madness. "_I've done it, Mr. Okani. I've finally done it. And you shall have all the revenge that your heart craves on Umbrella after what they did to your father. I've finally discovered your G-virus….."_


	11. Chapter 11

A/N Wow..this story is pouring out of me faster than I thought. Anyway…I'm going to label this chapter name as Night of the Hunter : Thirty Seconds to Mars The paralleling POV strain between Wesker and Angelica are from that song…I thought it was fitting and what not. Anyway…thankees to all that have read and reviewed. Means a lot when I see personal thing on there saying I'm not a complete idiot for trying to write this ha! ( Artichoke …cough…cough cough read her stories…they gewd…) ^_^ anyway…

Happy Reading,

Angie Burrows

Chapter Eleven

Leaning against the polished, marble pillar, Wesker's eyes searched for Birkin. Slowly scanning the room, the blue hues narrowed as they alighted on a couple just arriving through the wide doors. Annette was having a time getting out of her coat, William seemingly laughing as he helped remove the article of clothing. Albert sighed inwardly, drumming his fingers against the stone surface. Why had the idiot decided to bring his wife? It could be dangerous…

Lifting himself from the leaning position, Wesker let his gaze roam the rest of the room. It was a lovely sight of holiday festivities. Garlands hung from the chandeliers, a sizeable Christmas tree twinkling in the corner with feaux presents lying underneath. Spencer and Ashford were shaking hands in front of large projection screen; a random employee was getting the reel ready for the night's crowning display. Beautiful people in beautiful attire milled about with champagne glasses in hand, fervent waiters filling and re-filling as fast as the glasses were drained. In all, the night was going to be a horrid display of human pride and drunkenness. Wesker rolled his eyes, looking once more to the door. His breath caught in his throat.

Rising above the stairs was one of the loveliest visions he had seen in the room as of yet. Angelica stopped at the top step, her sapphire eyes roaming her surroundings. Flanking her sides were Lisa and Trent, but their dress compared nothing to the one she wore. The woman's shoulders were bare, a gauzy white silk covering in a toga fashion down one shoulder and leaving the other completely uncovered. The white chiffon glinted as it melted into black, like smoke disappearing into light. The dress was floor length, a tasteful slit coming just above her left knee for maneuverability. Angelica's blonde hair had grown since she had first come, and even though it was in a high pony tail on the top of her head, it flowed down almost to her waist. Her pale skin seemed to shimmer like her dress, her eyelids swept with silver wings of makeup. The woman looked like Venus….

Slowly the holiday music began to filter in the room, many couples moving out to the dance floor for an intertwining of slow dance. Slowly a smirk began to form on Wesker's lips, spreading into a devious grin. Squaring back his shoulders, he retreated from his lookout post. Moving into the crowd, Wesker had one thought on his mind: He was going to have a little fun before getting down to the dirty work.

…

Edward chuckled as he took a sip of the bubbly liquid in his glass. Everything was turning out wonderfully, and the evening was just beginning. Sitting in one of the secluded stage seats, the Ashford family head leaned over to his business partner, whispering lowly. "_So have your little employees decided to 'fire' Marcus this evening as planned?" _ Spencer gave his friend a sidelong glace, disengaging himself from the air headed blonde that had been attached to his right arm most of the night. Picking up his glass that had been laid down on the wide arm of the chair, Ozwell raised it in answer to the question. "_Indeed, everything is going as planned. By midnight tonight, James Marcus will no longer be a member of Umbrella….or anything else." _ Ashford looked pleased, his sight wandering amongst the crowd in awe of his empire. As he clinked his crystalline glass with Spencer, the two men took a hearty sip of the alcoholic beverage. Laughing quietly together, they both motioned to a nearby waiter for the cups to be re-filled. Tonight would be the birth of a new Umbrella Corporation….

…..

Oh how she hated the heels. Trevor and Trent had seemed relieved after she had finally arrived, bright smiles flashing in an attempt to hide the fear that lurked behind them. Now making their way into the room, the trio decided that time was something that had to be budgeted. It was about fifteen minutes until nine o' clock, and the projection video would start at nine fifteen. That gave the three of them about half an hour to feel out the room. Angelica had instructed the two to keep anybody important busy when or if they noticed Angelica herself had left. The plan was when the lights dropped for the video prompter for the new facility began to run; she would quietly slip back outside to the limo. There she would go back to the training area, go into Wesker's office, and retrieve the stolen files to clear Marcus' name. Then she would copy them and give the originals to Marcus himself, who had stayed behind to run some last minutes tests. The man was antisocial, and the fact he wasn't attending the party would make things a lot easier. Angelica would have to accomplish that in forty five minutes whilst the video ran and Ozwell gave his speech, and be back before the project managers were called on-stage…..

Checking the large, antique clock that loomed over the doorway, Angelica bit her lip in frustration. The chauffeur being late had cost her ten minutes…

Lisa moved to one end of the room after receiving the signal nod, and Trent moved towards the stage seats, engaging Ashford and Spencer in idle conversation. Angelica moved to the marble pillars on the opposite side, looking for Birkin and Wesker. Birkin and his wife had arrived minutes before she had, and now she noted that the pair had been seated in the dining area. Annette looked flushed from the strain of being out and about, her cheeks rosy with color. William seemed to have noted this as well, speaking quietly with her, then leaving to retrieve his spouse a drink. The music hummed melodically through the spacious halls, the private orchestra proving all their extravagant monies worth. Angelica leaned forward, straining to discern the various people in the crowd. She still couldn't find Wesker…

"_May I say that you are a vision of perfection, Miss Burrows?" _ Turning swiftly on her heel, Angelica whirled to meet the owner of the voice. Wesker stood smugly to the side, obviously enjoying the rising blush that tinged at her cheeks. At least she knew where he was now…

The music swelled into a violin rendition of "What Child is This.', and before she knew it, Wesker's hand was at the small of her back. His steps forced her to take her own backwards, and into the ballroom floor. "_Care for a dance, dear heart?" _ Angelica inwardly grimaced, knowing the time was becoming short….but there was no way out. His eyes seemed to dance as her silence, a hint of a smile curving at the corner of his mouth. Her back stiffened under his hand, her own arms wrapping securely about his neck in answer to the sneaky challenge. "_Don't mind if I do…but didn't you tell me you weren't attending? Way to sneak up on a girl…" _ Wesker's smirk grew even larger, his feet moving fluidly along with the music. "_I took care of my business ahead of schedule. I did not see any reason to deny myself the…pleasure of this evening." _ His hand lowered on her spine as he spun her form from him, the other running their fingertips up her side. The fabric felt smooth and light…so easy to tear…

Despite herself, Angelica could feel her skin bristle with a shiver. Goose flesh ran down her exposed back, the skin beneath his hand radiating warmth. She had expected him to be a problem…but not this type of one. Earlier the previous evening he had left her a present on her desk, and had told her that he had business to attend to… Little had he known that it had been her birthday as well, and despite the fact she was planning to pull a cat burglar act on him…..she had been thankful that someone had been kind enough to do such a thing. Angelica often wondered what type a man he would be if Umbrella hadn't sunk their claws in so early on…

Cocking her head to the side as he slowed his movement to a gentle waltz, the woman within his grasp sighed through her nose. Wesker's eyes looked into hers, locking their cold stare in a moment that would not soon be forgotten. He became lost…. completely lost in her curious stare, an intelligence moving within those orbs that not most women had. Her long hair spilled over her naked shoulder, its scent cloying and beautiful. It was like wildflowers…desert wildflowers… His fingers ran up her back, teasing the sensitive nerves of her womanly sensuality to excite him further. A heat waved into his system…a heat for this woman that had fought against his cynicism of power for so long. Angelica was defiant, but devious… Her eyes could tell it all. Lowering his face inches above hers, his trembling breath cascaded out of parting lips. Thinking in his mind, Wesker attempted to over run was his body was telling him to do…As if answering her pheremonal call with his thoughts. '_You don't know me…honest to God I will break your heart.' _

Little had he known, she was doing the same. It was like a fast acting drug that her system was pumping, her heart pounding like a hammer against her scantily clad chest. Angelica fought the urge to meet his mouth, mentally shaking her head. He was the enemy…the one who was helping frame Marcus… '_I should tear you to pieces…' _

Moving his hands to her slim sides, Wesker breathed out shakily, his fingernails digging into the expensive fabric… '_I would rip you apart..' _

Angelica's eyes fluttered as darkness began to shadow downward, the music long stopped. '_I will break your heart, Albert Wesker…' _

Wesker's lips moved downward as the shadows fell, hoping that even though his soul would be damned this evening, an Angel would still see some redemption in him…something worth desiring… '_If you knew…it would tear you to pieces..' _

Her lips moved from fear and want, brushing against his as her arms tightened without her permission. In the back of her mind there was a part screaming for sanity, but confusion drove it away. '_I'll rip you apart..' _

Blackness fell, engulfing the two and halting the room in the dead silence of confused people muttering. Wesker and Angelica could feel the breaths being shared, heat pouring in from their skin…

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, within the next few moments, we will be showing you a comprehensive video entailing the brand new, Arklay Facility!" _ Spencer's voice rang out into the darkness, a small light now illuminating the dark room. As the projection screen became filled with images, a glowing beam glowed just enough for people to see. As the shadows dances and flickered, Wesker found his grasp now cold and empty. Angelica was gone….

Sighing as he passed a hand through his blonde hair, Wesker shook himself out of the hormonal stupor that he had been in. Straightening his stature, he looked at Birkin who had moved a few feet from him during the crowd's confusion. William had his head cocked to the side, a questioning eyebrow raised. "_Distracted, Albert?" _ Wesker's lips turned downwards, feeling cold and dry from want of their denied affection. Growling as he turned his back on Birkin, the frustrated male stiffened noticeably. Looking back over his shoulder, Wesker's eyes flashed in warning. "_I'm not the one you should be concerned about. Are you prepared?" _ Birkin took a deep breath as the video projection light began to splay across in the shadows. His eyes wandered briefly back to Annette, watching as his wife was enraptured by the splendid images of the new buildings ran before her eyes. His face contorted in emotion as she rubbed her pregnant stomach, her own features wincing as if uncomfortable position plagued her.

Averting his gaze, William Birkin nodded, forcing his hands into his pockets. The keycard that Spencer had slipped him to Marcus' private lab was flipped secretly between his two fingers. Looking up at his friend, the fellow scientist slowly nodded. His face hardened, emotion being erased from every feature. "_Let's get this 'termination' over and done with." _ Wesker nodded, turning upon heel as he headed swiftly to the door. No one noticed. No one stopped them. It was as if things were falling into place upon a morbid puzzle. Or possibly an edict written upon hell's gates that James Marcus would be joining the mingle below. But either way….

Blood would be spilt that night.

…

Hiking up her skirts, Angelica ran as fast as her heels would allow..

Cursing as the air in her lungs became stale, the physically toned woman inwardly cursed that she had been lax on the treadmill as of late. Rounding the last row of many limousines, the woman frantically searched for the young man who had brought her in the first place. Surely enough…he had parked on the….very…last….row…. Waving her arms wildly, the female did not dare raise her voice to gain his attention. After a few seconds of comical gesturing, the oblivious teenager turned her direction. His eyes became large, and within seconds, the vehicle was roaring to her side. Opening the back door and throwing herself inside, Angelica huffed for the lack of energy. Pointing forwards as she saw two men beginning to exit from the double door, Angelica frenetically pointed towards the entering point of the drive way. "_Go…fast as you can, Mr. Vickers. I have an important matter to take care of and I've wasted too much time." _ Saluting her once more as he did earlier, the young man floored the gas pedal, kicking up expensive gravel in the wake. As the engine whined louder, the young woman pushed the button to roll up the divider. Before the black glass was all the way, Burrows whispered hurriedly. "_Knock when you are there, not a moment later. I have some changing to do…" _

Cocking his head to the side, the curious adolescent fought the urge to try and peek. Instead he focused on his driving, and keeping the welling bubble of fear down in his stomach. At first he had been overjoyed at the boost in tip. But now…he knew there was something odd about the whole thing…. Straightening his jaw and tipping back his hat, Brad shuddered, attempting to shake off the fear. Maybe one day he wouldn't be able to handle some adventure…

But that was not today…..


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Marcus sat back in his office chair, looking at the various jars of leeches that were adorning his laboratory. They swam in circular loops, occasionally looking as of they were stopping to gaze at him that way he was at them. James chuckled, running a finger down the nearest glass casement. Okani had mentioned he would fly someone out immediately to collect him and the new data…but it was left at that. All his babies…experiments…would be left behind. The various BOWs that Umbrella had manufactured from his science were of no consequence. After all…who would want to ship a Crawler? And where would they keep it? Poor assistant Mary Sue….she had been a transfer student from Harvard, and under orders had been one of the first to receive the virus. Burrows had no idea that the dog cage that he kept covered was where Mary now lived…

Chuckling at himself, the old man realized one thing: Umbrella had turned him into a monster just like Spencer. Sure enough Ozwell was more direct in his arduous acts, but he was far more….devious. And that possibly would make him all the more a powerful enemy once the deals were secure. Idiot…what was Spencer thinking to try and get rid of his top viral engineer? Did he not think that there would be some retaliation? Fool….they all were, even those two men that were at his every beck and call. Drumming his fingertips together, Marcus looked at his wristwatch. Okani's assistant would be there within the half hour, and it was time for him to get ready for departure…

…

Angelica nearly vaulted through the car door, whispering much thanks to a rather shaken looking Brad. "_If I am not back within the next fifteen minutes, leave the car. I want you to go on your own…here, these are the keys to a Sedan that is parked on the other side of the building. Go into town and don't come back. Leave my car in an alley some where…bust out some of the windows if you have to make it look like it was stolen. And when your superiors ask what happened…tell them a bunch of us were drunk and kicked you out of the limo…say you went back on foot till you got a signal and called a cab?" _ Swallowing and looking deathly pale, the young man gingerly took the set of keys. Stuttering as she moved away from him, Vickers finally asked the question that had been running through his mind. "_Miss, you aren't doing anything..ya know…illegal…are ya?" _ Angelica looked over her shoulder, a smile forming on her pink mouth. Winking as she moved off from the car, the young woman appreciated the stranger's curiosity. "_Not if I don't get caught…" _

The car rolled away into the shadows as she ran up the sidewalk. Angelica had traded in her heels for running shoes, and the dress' skirt had actually been a pin-on. Now wearing black shorts, she sprinted across the field effortlessly. The night air felt frigid and wintry, her rapid breaths puffing out in steamy wisps. Marcus' lab was on the second floor, half way across into the Annex area of the training facility. Across from that and three halls away was Wesker's office, accompanied by a joint one with Birkin. Praying that Ada hadn't decided to work late that night, Angelica made her way to the sideway entrance to the building. She had been distracted earlier…and never saw the woman arrive at the party….. Sliding her keycard through, Angelica moved her legs in place, waiting for the door to blink green. It seemed ages ago that she had been in the Artic, wearing her turtleneck sweaters and feeling at home. Sighing in relief as the door swung aside, the shivering female stepped inside.

Peering down the hallway, she took relieved breaths of warm air. The lights were dimmed, giving the hallway a haunted, unlived in feel. Shaking off the unnerving thought that something was going to jump out at her, Angelica pushed off the wood floor and into another sprint. She was going to have to make quick work of these halls…

She was running out of time…

….

William slid into the passengers' seat of Wesker jet black, Porsche. The leather seemed uncomfortable compared to his old, cloth version of a vehicle. Annette had insisted on a mini van after she had found out about being pregnant…and ever the loving husband, he had obliged. Wesker seemed at home in the surroundings, his foot seemingly made of lead as it applied ever surmounting pressure to the gas pedal. Birkin frowned, catching sight as the tail end of a limousine pulled out of view. Wesker gave him a sidelong glance, confirming the fact that he had seen the same too. Inwardly, William began to panic, his hand moving to the cold steel in his coat pocket. "_You don't think he knows…I thought it was mandatory for everyone to attend..What if Spencer is setting us up, Albert?" _

Wesker shook his head, withdrawing a block of mechanics from the console in his car. It was the prime of style, phones in cars, and he was the first to have enjoyed the luxury. Pulling the receiver to his ear, the stoic man growled into the speaker. "_Miss Wong, we have an unexpected guest arriving this evening. Make sure that they are….well taken care of." _ Birkin's eyes went wide as his friend hung up the telephone, his every move becoming stiff. William's voice rose as he softly asked a simple question. "_Are we going to be murdering two people tonight? Or do you have any idea who might be interrupting just the one…" _ Wesker's gloved hands tightened as he slammed the accelerator down fully. His mouth was set in a deep line, azure orbs narrowed into thin slits. "_Oh, I have an idea who it might be…."_

….

Annette searched the room with her eyes, frowning when she did not see her husband. Where had he run off to? A soft rustle moved into the seat next to her, and she smiled and turned, happy that her spouse has returned. Her happiness was undone however, when the smile of an unfamiliar woman met her gaze. "_Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were William. Forgive me, you are?" _ The red head looked surprised, and embarrassed. Sticking out a welcome hand, the woman giggled softly. "_Sorry, did I take his seat? Lisa…my name's Lisa Trevor. You must be Annette?" _ Annette smiled politely, even though the tensing in her abdomen was becoming increasingly often. Taking in a deep breath, she nodded. "_Ah, you are Albert's assistant. I've heard a little about you. Says you type like a squirrel on caffeine." _ Trevor blankly stared, not sure whether the statement was a compliment or not. Chuckling, Annette went to stand. "_Well, I had best be looking for William. I'm not feeling well and want to go hom….oh!" _

The woman abruptly sat back down, clutching at her stomach and looking pale. Lisa moved to her side, a gentle hand upon her arm. "_Ms. Birkin? Annette? Are you alright? Annette?"_ Annette Birkin merely shook her head, her face becoming red with pain. A soft whine was stifled from her lips, her head shaking as if in disbelief of something. "_Oh no..not now…I can't….I have three weeks….I can't…" _ The other female looked horridly confused, her green eyes wide and afraid. The sudden sound of water rushing came dripping from beneath the chair, causing Trevor to leap upwards.

Trent came running from behind the crowd, seeing Lisa moving so abruptly. His eyes were wide and confused, until they focused on the woman that Trevor was talking with. It was Annette Birkin….the eight and a half month pregnant…Annette…Birkin…

Rushing to her side, Trent supported the woman with a strong arm. Annette clutched with all her might, making the man wonder of she may snap him in two… Lisa still didn't understand, even as the people around them moved backwards and away from the display. "_Charles, what's going on! Ms Birkin?" _ Annette screamed in expectant agony, her eyes wide and angry with the world. "_AHHHHHHHHHH" _

"_AAAAAAAAH GOD She's going to break my arm…..LISA GET SPENCER! Get…owowowowow woman…. Annette's going into labor!" _ Trent gasped as Annette went through another round of pain sharing gripping, his own face becoming reddened and stressed. Trevor stood dumbstruck, her mouth open in horror. For once in his life, Charles Trent was desperate beyond measures. The crowd began to chatter and babble, but none went to help. Yelling at the top of his lungs, the man instructed Lisa to get the one man that they didn't want the attention of this evening. "_LISA, GO GET SPENCER….NOoooooowwwwwwwwwwwow damn…." _ Annette's hands lodged themselves about Trent's collar, pulling him dangerously close to her face as she hissed in misery.

"_Where is my husband?"_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Fiddling with the strange set of keys, Brad leaned to look out of his window. The young man had decided to park somewhere inconspicuous….well at least he thought so. Behind a large supply truck that was loading various desks and furniture from the facility was the still limousine, the keys still in the engine. Vickers tapped his foot against the gas pedal, praying above all hopes that the young woman he was helping wasn't involved in something that would potentially cause him to be fired…..or….arrested? Taking off the annoying chauffeur hat, Vickers ran his fingers through his hair. As he looked out the foggy window, the young man suddenly slid low in his seat. A jet black sports car whizzed into the parking lot across the way, fishtailing deftly into a vacant spot. A man in a black suit moved out of the driver's seat, accompanied by a younger male with shaggy brown hair.

Brad felt his breath hitch in fear as he looked at the driver, the other man slipping on a pair of silver sheened sunglasses. Who wore sunglasses at night? Peering above the rim of the window, Vickers felt his breath return as they moved off. Why were there more people coming back to the facility so early? What had his customer gotten herself into?

…

Trent inwardly cried as the woman's hand in which he was holding crushed his own. Annette was being as gracious as possible considering her water had just broken in front of several hundred people and her husband was missing, but the damn woman was refusing to give his limb any blood flow. Coaching her into a steady breathing pace, the man began to wonder if this favor was ever going to be repaid or not….

"_Oh god, where is Will?" _ Annette Birkin groaned, throwing her head back in laborious pain. Sweat had beaded upon her pale brow, matting the once perfectly quaffed hair. Mascara was running down her cheeks as the woman began to cry softly, partially due to imminent birth, and partially due to her missing spouse. Trent attempted to stroke the woman's head, soothingly speaking to her. "_Perhaps he had some last minute business to take care of. I've sent Lisa to get Spencer." _ Annette nearly jumped had it not been for the immobilizing pain in her torso. Shaking her head vehemently, the young woman trembled. "_Oh dear god…Spencer can't see me like this…are you insane? I need Will..were is Will…" _

"_See you like what, my dear? Oh my…" _ Lisa had returned the two corporate gods in tow. Ashford still clung to his wine glass, an aristocratic eyebrow raised in distain at the blatant display of human pain before him. Spencer seemed more dignified, straightening his jacket as he leaned down to deal with the situation. "_When were you due, Mrs. Birkin?" _ Heaving as she tried to speak with what dignity she had left, the young woman breathed deeply. "_I'm not due for two more weeks…" _ Taking her pulse, Ozwell seemed to feign a shocked portrayal of surprise. "_Oh, my dear, you should be on bed rest! No wonder you've been thrown into premature labor. But I am afraid the nearest hospital is in Raccoon itself. It would take an hour just to procure a transport for you.." _ At this the woman writhed, another fierce contraction forcing her calm exterior to wash away like sand on a beach. "_An hour? Why can't we use a limo….oh….god…" _

Trent's face went red as she squeezed his hand, his eyes bulging ever so slightly. The woman seemed exaughsted, let alone even trying to get her up and walking down those dreaded stairs…."_Annette..Annette listen to me…I don't want to risk you moving or falling down those stairs.." _ Spencer smiled smugly as Trent desperately tried to calm the pregnant female. Moaning wretchedly, she inclined her head back up to Ashford and Spencer. "_Where is my husband…do you know where he went?" _ Ashford took a languid sip of his wine, tittering gently. "_Ah yes, he had some unfinished business we sent him to deal with. Won't be but a small jot though…should be coming back along any minute now." _ Balling her fist at his brash, uncaring demeanor, Annette spat between clenched teeth. "_You bastards, it's Christmas Eve and you made him work? Now he'll miss the birth of his ….ahhhhh…" _

Lisa knelt down, using her handkerchief to mop daintily at the other woman's head. Looking back at Trent, she shook her own, gently rubbing Annette's hand as she writhed once more. "_We don't have any other option….She can't hold out…" _ Trent nodded as he unstuck his hand from the clutching Annette. Leaning the woman back in a halfway position, he sympathetically sighed. "_Lisa, get me all the ice you can handle and a set of clean gloves. Find them anywhere..kitchen staff..medical cabinet….anywhere. Spencer, please get me all the cloth napkins and a large table cloth were no one has sat. And Ashford…" _ The higher up look abashed that his name had been spoken, raising an eyebrow in a look of rudeness. Trent straightened himself as he stood eye to eye with the man, his teeth grit. "_Ashford, make yourself useful and hold the woman's hand while she gives birth…I have a child to deliver…" _ The other man stuttered, not able to formulate words properly in surprise. Trent nudged the man's shoulder, pushing him down to Annette's level. "_You heard me, sir….. I have a baby to deliver…and it's going to take Everyone's help…."_

…

Fricken men.

Ada Wong slammed down her golden clutch angrily to her desk, pacing the office with a furious gait. She had just been about to walk out the door after the enormous project e had given her was completed, and now she had to stay and make sure that an intruder didn't fiddle with his things? She wasn't even his assistant anymore… and she had been looking forward to pleasing him tonight with her dress…The woman had painstakingly chosen a ruby red number, a slit almost to the thigh on each leg. Her short, dark hair had been cut pixie style, curling outward ever so slightly. Gold dust faintly hinted about her eyes and cheeks, the sensual scent of exotic perfume heavily applied. And now she had to waste all of it…

But she would never say no to him…never could. He was the one person who had shown her anything akin to kindness when first coming to the company, and now she was indebted to him for that. He had stolen her away from her former employer…in more ways than one. And ever since she had wanted to find out his reasons…the person beneath the hard, merciless exterior. Ada had hoped that would be tonight….tonight when she discovered _everything_ that lay beneath.

Crossing her tan legs across one another, the receptionist drummed her sparkling nails against the desk. Wesker must be insane…no one ever messed about at night other than the janitors….

A creak of wood made the woman snap her head up, her almond eyes narrowing. Once again Wesker wasn't wrong….he was never wrong.

"_Ada?"_

…

"_Ada? What are you doing here so late?" _

Angelica felt her stomach drop out when she saw the female. What was her assistant doing in Wesker's office? The younger woman narrowed her eyes as she vacated the desk chair, folding her hands behind her back. "_I could ask you the same thing, Miss Burrows." _ Angelica narrowed her own eyes at the comment. Only Wesker refused to acknowledge her as a fellow scientist…had he gotten his hooks in this woman as well? Man, he did get around… "_Dr. Burrows, Miss Wong. I don't answer to you. And I ask you again, why are you here in Wesker's office?" _ Circling the round desk, Ada snorted in response. Angelica could tell by her body language that something was off…it was almost like watching a toy monkey wind up to spring. "_I am no longer on your service as of today, Miss Burrows. I was transferred back once the mansion facility was complete. It also means that you will have your precious Trevor back. So…me? I belong here anytime I wish. It doesn't answer why you are trespassing in my employer's office." _

Angelica took a step backwards; bracing herself for something she knew not what. Time…time was running out and now this little girl was going to be the linchpin in all her plans now. Even if she did make it back, Ada would certainly tell Wesker of the files she had taken…seeing is if she could even get them now. "_Look, Wesker took some files from me that weren't his…I need them back." _ Ada cocked her head to the side, shaking her head in unacceptance. "_I'm sorry, Miss Burrows, but all files within this office Stay..in this office." _ Angelica took a deep breath, taking a determined step forwards. Ada met her midway, and despite the woman being head and shoulders smaller than she, she looked ferociously intimidating. Azure eyes burned dangerously as they stared down at their adversary. "_Get out of my way, Ada." _ Cobalt magnificence sparkled in amusement as a stern hand clamped down on Angelica's white arm.

"_I can't do that, Angelica." _

…

Marcus took the last stack of papers, smoothing out the pages as he slipped them into the remaining briefcase. All other files had been destroyed through the shredder, electronic copies moved to a series of floppy disks that he was storing in a carry on. Okani had said within the next half hour he was coming to collect Marcus himself, in order to protect all the data personally. The assistant had been more than relieved, having heard of the various dangers that the task posed. Humming to himself as he wiped the last megabyte off the hard drive of his personal terminal, James sighed. A new world was going to be ahead of him, one full of conquest and glory. Glancing over to the clear canister of leeches, the elderly man winced. He hated having to leave them behind.. Leaning down to stare at them face level, Marcus spoke kindly to the wormy looking creatures. "_Ahh if only I could take you with the rest. But don't you worry, everything has a reason and I will make many more of your brothers and sisters.." _

"_Take, James? Where do you think you will be going?" _

Marcus snapped up at the sound of the voice, his eyes wide. Wesker and William stood in the open doorway, guns drawn and aimed. The speaker had been the former, a cruel look of intent splaying across his mouth. James shook his head in disbelief. This couldn't be happening...they weren't supposed to be here… Stepping into the center of the room, Marcus eyed both men carefully. "_Haven't you heard, gentlemen? I've been…released of my services…" _ Birkin was the first to cross the threshold, his clear eyes narrowed. Despite the fact of his intimidating glare, Marcus could see his hand shake gently as he gripped his weapon. "_What we have heard, Marcus, was that you had betrayed the company, selling off our hard worked secrets one by one… Looks like those rumors were true." _ Marcus straightened at the accusation, his eyes peering above his high cheek bones. Even in his old age the man had a youthful fearlessness, anger fueling it minute by minute. "_Perhaps after the initial betrayal. And what are you expecting to do? Kill me before the transaction is complete?" _ Wesker's eyes seemed to glow from behind the aviator glasses when he withdrew them. Cocking his head to the side, the young man raised his gun higher. A sadistic smile spread across his mouth, even making his partner in crime wish to shudder from its frigid glance.

"_Yes."_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"_Ada…" _

Angelica's words were forced out through grit teeth, her blue eyes barely recognizable as they seemed to turn into slivers of glass. The young woman before her didn't even flinch, but merely tightened the grip she had on her arm. A coy smile seemed to spread across the woman's lips as she shifted her hips into a defensive posture…as if she believed she was untouchable or something…. The nerve… She couldn't stand that smug grin…it felt like it was burning into the back of her mind. Rearing back, Angelica thrust her arm to the side, slamming Wong directly into the wall. The girl crumpled, falling in a sliding motion downwards. Immediately the other woman panicked, rushing to the aide of the person she had accidentally assaulted. "_Ada, oh I'm sorry..are you alri…" _ The other female reached forwards as soon as Angelica was within range, forcing her elbow into her side. The reaction forced all air from the woman, her body doubling over. Taking advantage of this, Wong used the leverage to bound upwards, slamming Angelica into the wall face first. Twisting Angelica's arm roughly around her back, she painfully squeezed her into a sandwhiching position. Hissing into her former employer's ear, the angered female sniffed as her perfect hair fell out of place from the roughhousing.

"_Just wait until Wesker hears about this…you won't be fit for mail room…much less my worthless former boss…filthy woman…" _ Angelica felt something snap… A rage boiled up beneath her skin and all the training she had ever procured growing up coiled in her muscles. Karate class…gymnastics…swimming…running….tactical science…hand to hand…jujitsu…. A childhood was never given her, but activities were… Slamming her head backwards, the base connected with the woman's jaw. Ada fell back, clutching her chin in agony. As Angelica's body spun, she barely managed to dodge the leg that was in a sweeping kick aimed for her head. The blow knocked into the wall, cracking the drywall in a noticeable dent. Ada began to step backwards, her feet moving in a memorized pattern. Her hands groped behind her for a drawer…

Another blow came to her, this time connecting and nearly sending her flying across the desk. The small Asian scrambled for her best trained weapon…if only she could open the drawer… Succeeding at last, the woman whirled, aiming a shining magnum at the infuriated blonde. Angelica's eyes went wide at the weapon, her hands now inching up into the air in a surrendering fashion. "_Don't….Ada.." _ Finally Wong seemed to relax, her smirking expression returning as she regained her feet. Extending the weapon out and planting it directly until the tip of the muzzle rested against Angelica's chest, she cocked her head to the side. A shadow of a bruise was forming were she had been hit, causing her to probe it with the other hand. "_You hit hard for an idiot…" _ Taking a sweeping step out, Angelica twisted to the side. The move was common police training, and thanks be to heavens something that one of her teachers had taught. Forcing the muzzle outwards with her side, she closed her forearm over her assailant's wrist. Bending the joint unnaturally, Ada cried out in pain as Angelica forced her weapon from her.

In one, fluid movement, Angelica pointed the weapon back at Ada, her lips frowning deeply despite the fact she now had the upper hand. "_You've always been a nice girl, Ada…don't let this place corrupt you…what do you have to say for yourself…" _ Defiantly the girl snarled, her chocolate eyes wide with fear and rebellion. She would never betray Wesker…she couldn't ever see herself without him to guide…to teach…amongst other things. And she would never…ever…give up. "_Bitch.." _ Angelica sighed, turning as if she was going to leave the young woman behind. Whipping back, she crashed the muzzle of the weapon against the Ada's temple, sending her into an unwilling slumber. Cradling her body all the way down to the floor, Angelica laid her neatly behind the desk. Anyone would think she had too much liquor that evening…

Tucking in the handgun to her shorts, the woman looked at the inner door above… She had no time…but she had to try….she had to find those files. Marcus was a good man, and over the last few months she had watched him grow weaker and weaker under the crushing weight of defeat… If she had known that they were firing him…. She had to try….

…

"_Foolish men…what did you think I would do? Cower in fear?" _ Wesker sidestepped his mouthy victim, holding his weapon high. The same smirk toyed at his mouth, despite Marcus' indignance. The man was afraid…the quavering in his voice betrayed it… "_On the contrary… I believed you would be in a….bargaining frame of mind." _ William looked at his friend, and for once saw the burning greed behind the sharp blues. Wesker had no real intention of killing James…he was using him as a tool. Hissing between his clenched teeth, Birkin shook his head as he addressed his companion. "_What are you doing…" _ Wesker inclined his head back, rolling it as if he was doing a tired exercise. Disgust was written over his handsome face, as if looking at a complete dolt. "_Justifying the ends, dear William. You honestly thought I would kill Marcus without hearing the options first?" _

Marcus folded his arms, a cynical eyebrow rising at the younger man. Surely Wesker didn't think he would trade his life for his secrets… The G-virus was his and his alone…to take to its fullest potential. Only problem was…Okani had not shown up yet..

Wesker flashed his gaze back to Marcus, his arms tightening. "_I suggest you start qualifying those options, James." _ The elderly man took a deep breath, his clear eyes wanting just to shut and sum this up to a bad dream… Clearing his throat, Marcus flickered his hand over the remaining files that lay in the half shut briefcase. "_As you well know, my time here at Umbrella has ended…My option was to take my intelligence…and work somewhere else. You well know that Spencer is far from a saint… and this may be your option as well. My work included…" _ Birkin felt his blood stop as the words fell slowly from Marcus' lips. Was the old man offering to put their names on the findings of they merely…left Umbrella? Could they work at BioHaz and be free from this corporate constrains that was Ozwell Spencer… The offer was tempting…deceiving… Wesker moved for the files, his other hand outstretched to enter the suitcase… Something was off…William's nerves tensed as he watched Marcus slip his hand into his coat pocket…

"_No, don't!" _ A shot rang out, then a cry of pain. James clutched his arm as it moved from the coat, a syringe needle clattering to the floor. Red flow seeped through his white lab coat and through his fingers as the old man began to back away. William's gun nozzle was smoking gently, signaling the origin of the wound giving bullet. That syringe held god knows what…and Marcus was planning on stabbing Wesker as soon as he was distracted enough… The old man laughed maniacally, his eyes wide and wild. "_You fools…there is no option for the both of you. This is my work…my life..and I would rather die than share it with the likes of you backstabbing, bastards. It's my work…my life…eheahahaaha..." _ Running a gloved hand through his blonde locks, Wesker smoothed back the stray strand coolly. Aiming his weapon at the mad scientist before him, the assassin spoke with deadly calm. "_That was a very poor choice…one I wish you hadn't made, James…" _

…_.._

"_Oh I hate you…." _

"_I can tell my good woman but good lord!" _

Ashford was nearly doubled over from the pain in his arm. Annette was nearly crushing the appendage, her own face red with pregnancy and rage. Trent could not figure out if the reason she was hurting the man was because of labor…or sending her husband on an 'errand' in her hour of need. Lisa and Spencer were tending to the young woman, one holding onto her shoulder, the other wiping excess sweat. Annette kept shaking her head, groaning in a pitiable loudness. The various people around had either moved off respectively, or plain just been frightened by the sheer fact that William Birkin's wife was furious. Every time the woman looked at Ashford or Spencer, Lisa was partially afraid that she would forgo the birth just to murder them. Spencer seemed ambiguous where as Ashford…well the look on his face was of genuine fear. His cheeks were flushed red as he watched the woman, Trent's busy hands trying to guide her into a state of comfortableness.

It wasn't working….

"_I….I don't think I can…" _ Tears began to stream down Annette's cheeks, her lips quivering. This was her first child…and she didn't want to do it without her husband… Trent gazed down sympathetically, his dark eyes full of empathy for the woman. Umbrella had a sort of way of doing this to people…turning them into what he called "corporate zombies". Mindless little ants all working for the corporate agenda and letting everything else of their very small lives fall by the wayside… Leaning close to her, the man shook his head, his voice calm and soothing to convince the woman before him of her strength. "_You can, Annette…you can do this. You have to, for the baby. Now when I count down, I'm going to need you to push, ok?" _ Annette slowly nodded, the fear written clearly across her face. Everything was happening so fast…

"_Ok, Annette. One…two…three…PUSH!" _ As Trent held her in the birthing position, Annette screamed as she did what was commanded of her. Ashford looked as if he had done the same by the mere force that she had applied to his arm in doing so. Lisa held the woman steady by the shoulder, her heart racing. Spencer had said that there was an errand he had sent Birkin and Wesker on….and Angelica hadn't come back yet…. Had she been caught? Was Annette Birkin really giving birth before her eyes? ….Why was Spencer acting so smugly…. Lisa looked up at the CEO, half expecting to see disgust…or awe at what was happening at his gathering. But neither were upon his face. A coy…sadistic grin was splayed across his mouth, as if he had discovered some beautiful secret…

….or had a horrid idea…..


	15. Chapter 15

A/N

For those of you who haven't a clue as to who Trent is…look him up on the Capcom website, also under the name Victor Darius! It is part of my storyline…but meh… you'll find out who he is through my eyes too xD

Onto the next chapter I suppose!

Happy Reading,

Angelica Burrows

Chapter Fifteen

The blood was so real…so red…so painful. Marcus clutched at his shoulder, letting the limb attached to it hang limp. Life seemed so small as he stared at the two men before him. Life seemed so cruel. His own words sounded hallow, as if they belonged to a less sane man than he. "_You can't do this….I have the right to my own life…I have the right to live it outside this company." _ Wesker circled him, his gun trained heavily. Whatever chance there had been to negotiate with this man had passed…what ever window had now been closed permanently. "_You do have the right, but not with those files…Seeing as you have not wished to make compromise, I do not feel any inclination to let you take what is not yours.." _ Birkin watched his partner from the corner of his eyes, half wishing that he himself were at home with Annette…far away from this. Wesker himself had wanted to take the files for his own purposes…but now the game had been switched and the original plan was looking far more realistic as the time pressed on. And that was a reminder…time was running short.

Marcus looked at William, his eyes almost pleading at they stared into his own. "_Surely you won't do this…Of all people I know that you are smarter than to blindly kill for Spencer without getting the True facts." _ At this Wesker hardened his facial muscles as William looked rather proud at the statement. Birkin had always been the worm in the book so to speak, and always did the trace work on anything… Unfortunately, this was a disadvantage to Marcus…. "_As a matter of fact, I did. And I am quite sure the Mr. Okani's son would have loved to have a sample of the virus you developed over the past few months, but it won't be at his disposal any time soon. You see, Marcus, the funds you used to discover and test the G-virus were stolen and unapproved. The virus belongs to Umbrella…and is not yours to proliferate." _ Calmness had taken hold of William's voice, eerily quiet even to his own ears. Was he really framing Marcus…was he really going to kill the man for trying to break free…

Slowly James sagged against the wall, his glazing eyes watching the various tanks of the active leeches. All his life there had been some urge to make a family, and the only family he now had were swimming in glass beakers… Swinging out his arm, the appendage crashed into the largest of the glass encasements, causing the entirety to fall to the floor. The glass shattered upon contact, spreading the slimy animals across the room. Leaping back as the water spread on the tile, both men were momentarily distracted. Bolting for the door, Marcus prayed the Okani's jet would be waiting outside for him….

As the leeches spread, Wesker lept back. The animals seemed to have minds of their own, and were moving faster than anything he had ever witnessed. Slamming his booted heel down upon one that was rearing back, the creature exploded in a pile of mushy flesh. William aimed some well placed shots at some of the larger ones, their bodies imploding on impact. Whirling to face a fleeing Marcus, Wesker aimed his weapon. The other man's hand was upon the button for the outside seal off, the other poised above the gas activator. Marcus was going to gas the entire lab… "_Don't even think of it, James." _ A small cackle came from the older man as he looked at them, his eyes betraying his thoughts. Okani was going to be too late…and they would gun him down before he ever made it out of the complex. "_You think you will kill me? I think not…the only one in place to make that decision would be I. To think, Wesker…you had such a bright future. And William, to never see your daughter born…such a shame."_ His fingertips reached out for the panel, pausing just before it. The grin of triumph lasted upon his face as he hand moved down to activate the genocide of them all.

Then, the gunshot rang out.

…

"_Ohhhhh god kill me…" _

Annette panted as she tried to catch her breath. This pain was nothing like she had ever imagined. It was as if some alien was trying to tear her apart from the inside out, and she could do nothing but keep pushing. Her head felt light and hot, the room was spinning. Everything was screaming and crying and gasping as she tried to do what she had built up for over nine months to do…. Except she had wanted drugs this entire time… Annette Birkin cried out once more, hunching herself over as the three people that were holding onto her kept speaking words of encouragement. Little did they know she could barely hear them over the sensation of her pain…everything sounded so muted or far away. Lying back heaving, the woman felt as if the entire feeling of the world's pain and agony was nestled between her legs. The four words she had grown to hate were fervently trying to gain her attention. Trent was desperately speaking, his sleeves rolled back and sweat upon his brow. If anyone had looked, it would have been comical to see him in such attire looking as if he was about to catch a football from between a woman's….area. "_You have to push. Just one more time..I see the head. C'mon, Annette." _

Panting as she laid back against a white in the face Ashford, the woman shook her head as she sobbed. "_I can't…I can't do it anymore…." _ Lisa smoothed back the woman's hair, softly breathing as she supported her shoulder. "_Annette, you have to do what Trent says…you can do it. We women are strong…do it for the baby…" _ Annette scrunched up her face, moving herself to brace for the pain to come. Her muscles tightened as the expected agony ripped through once again, the pressure building to an almost unbelievable height. Screaming in finality as the pressure began to release itself; Trent looked overjoyed as something grayish pink came into view. The small form of a human lay cuddled in his arms, the flesh connection still trailing from the future belly button. "_Oh good job, Annette..I've got her…I've got her…aww she's beautiful…someone give me a knife to cut the umbilical cord." _

Spencer handed over a pen knife, the tool making quick work of the now useless body part. Pinching the little girl gently, Trent almost winced as the baby let rip its new found lungs. The little one cried until it was red in the face as Lisa wrapped it in the soft, silk table cloth she had procured. "_Do you want to meet your daughter, Annette?" _ The woman nodded as tears of joy replaced any left from the pain, her arms outstretching for her offspring. The baby nestled into its mother's arms comfortably, almost immediately stopping the loud squall. Ashford quickly scrambled up, brushing off his suit. Trent had blood and discharge up to his wrists, but none the less he looked blissfully happy at his actions. Annette looked up gratefully, her clear eyes full of tender care. "_Thank you, Trent…Trevor…I….oh she's perfect….absolutely perfect…My little Sherry…" _ Kissing the infant upon the nose, Annette rocked the child back and forth.

Ashford moved off to where Spencer was standing, the other man having his hand over his chin in thought. Raising an eyebrow, Ashford whispered in order to be out of ear shot. "_Are you thinking the same thing, my friend?" _ Spencer gave his business partner a sidelong glance, the evil glinting from behind his eyes. "_Perhaps, do divulge what you have concluded…" _

Ashford smiled, his mouth imitating the devil's grin himself as they watched the small group revel in the gift of new life. "_I believe we have just found a tool to keep your commanders in line." _ Spencer's own lips began to curve upwards as he nodded.

"_Precisely." _

…

Brad looked out the window nervously, watching….waiting. The entire night was just insane, and he had wondered for the last ten minutes that if it was really worth ten dollars an hour. Five more minutes and he was the hell out of dodge if the woman never showed back up… Jangling her keys within his hand, the young man sighed. Would he really leave the nice lady behind? Saving his own skin sounded like a good idea, but even so….if the story she had told him to present really was going to be believable, he may walk away with his job. But the truth was….something bigger was happening here besides some Christmas get together at the fabled Spencer Estate. The facility she had wanted to come back to had been shut down for quite some time…yet there was a mover truck taking supplies as if the building had been recently used….

A noise like the backfiring of an engine rang out into the night, forcing the young man to drop the keys in surprise. The only problem was…. It wasn't a back fire. The gunshot echoed in the back of his mind, his eyes wide and afraid of what he had just heard. Brad felt as if his blood stopped, his heart thundering in his stomach. Or at least that's were it felt as if it had dropped….

Slowly his body moved on its own, opening the limo door with painstaking purpose….

Something was wrong…..and he was going to find out.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

He trembled from his own actions, but still stayed strong. Three more bullets sprang from his weapon and into the man before him, sinking deep into his flesh. Blood spurted forwards at each impact, causing the man;s body to jerk with each bodily implosion. The leg, the knee cap, his forearm….all were spewing crimson flow as he fell to the floor. James Marcus wallowed as he fell into the slippery liquid of his own blood. Wesker looked back at the man who had fired the shot. William didn't even look like himself anymore, a murderous gleam shining in his eyes. Marcus should have known better than to mention Sherry and Annette…he should have known…

Wesker walked quietly up to the rasping scientist, his gun trained upon him once more. Several of the tinier leeches seemed to be crawling towards their master, but it was a distant thought. It was probably the blood that was attracting them… James looked up, his age now wearing upon his haggard face as both weapons were now pointed at him. "_Would you really kill an old man who just wanted a chance?" _ Wesker inclined his head at William, then back at his former mentor. Raising the gun higher, he unloaded into the man's chest. The sickening, wet sound of bullet punched flesh sounded over and over as the lead intrusions began to fill Marcus's body. Birkin joined into the attack, his lips curling back into a sneer. "_You are just jealous, old man. Because that is what you are….old…outdated….a thing of the past. We have everything you have ever wanted. Power, glory, a family…." _ The words barely registered as Marcus sank further into the floor, but the last stab hurt him into his soul. Even as it fled his body, he knew they were right… He had no family….

As death tore him from his flesh shell, James Marcus could not help but think that the place that awaited him was going to be filled with the monsters he had created…. The scientist would become the soul twisted thing of darkness that he had always hidden from the world… So many people he had experimented upon over the years…so many abominations… It was always going to catch up…to haunt him… and now he sank into the deep abyss, awaiting their long dead clutches. Cruelly Wesker kept emptying his hand gun, the weapon lightly jumping in his hands. A fury raged behind his crystal orbs, finally appeased with the glory of bloodshed. So much apprehension…so much doubts…and finally the deed was done. James Marcus was dead…

The corps slid down the wall even further, its face upturned. Both men flinched as several of the leeches squashed themselves against the old man's cheek in a desperate attempt to suck what remaining blood from him. Wesker leaned down, speaking quietly into his wrist walkie- talkie. "_Bring in the clean up team…we are ready." _ William heaved a sigh of relief as he looked over to Wesker, despite the fact his body was still coiled like a tightly wound spring. He half expected Marcus to come back from the dead and try to kill them all….but of course that was none sense. No one could come back from the dead…yet.

"_/are you ready to return to the Ball, Albert?" _ As the team shuffled by, Birkin watched as the nameless crew stuffed the body in a body bag. Several of the leeches clung so fiercely, that they too were bagged. Wesker looked about the room in disgust, shaking his head. The room would have to be sterilized…and soon. "_No, you are instructed to over see the …disposal of the body. I have pressing business that needs my attention." _ Squaring his shoulders as he went to leave the room, Wesker's back could be seen stiffen even through his leather coat. Birkin called out quietly, but had no know one question they both had been posed. "_Do you ever wonder if we will end up like him… Well..you know…" _ Wesker looked over his shoulder, his face a mask of nothingness. "_You mean if I will…you certainly won't because of your family." _ William nodded, his face burning. Albert Wesker paused briefly, his jaw tightening as he looked away. "_No…unlike Marcus, I don't need anyone to function…. Good night, William." _

Stalking into the hallway shadows, the man disappeared into the night. William Birkin watched as what left of James Marcus' legacy was crawled towards his shoe. Raising his foot up swiftly, the man let it come crashing down. Just as its "father", the creature became nothing more than a blood mess to clean away…

….

She had searched…everywhere. The files had been all in complete order, and yet….the ones she was desperately trying to locate seemingly had disappeared into thin air… "_This is idiotic…"_ Mumbling to herself as she searched even the desk pen drawers to see if a false bottom was present, Angelica became increasingly agitated. How would she prove to Spencer that Marcus hadn't been siphoning funds if she couldn't find the paperwork! Kicking outwards in frustration as she wheeled about in Wesker's chair, the woman struck something hard…and painful. "_Dammit….owoow…oh hello…" _ Looking underneath the desk to see what she had collided with, a silver safe gleamed in what little light illuminated it. Practically jumping for it, the young woman went for the handle….and of course it was locked. Pressing her lips together, Angelica sighed. It was the only possible place left….

Leaning her ear next to the safe lock, she began to spin its wheel gear. She attempted first Spencer's date of birth….no luck. Then she tried the date the company had been founded….no cigar. After cursing under her breath she decided to use The Birkin's wedding anniversary…even though it was rather …strange if he had really used it. Empty again. Sitting cross legged for a minute, the woman racked her brain, and then decided that maybe if she stared at it long enough…the structure would magically open….

"_You of all people should know the combination." _ The voice made her jump, which in turn made her take a nasty bump on the forehead. Looking up as she rubbed the spot, Angelica prayed she had just lost her mind. But no, staring at her from the door way was him….

Wesker looked amused if anything as he walked over to the safe. Deftly flicking the safe's combination in full view, the heavy door finally swung aside. Angelica snatched the folders quickly, jetting backwards as she stood into the wall…. At least she collided with it roughly with her back. Her eyes were wide as he watched her, his own wandering down her long legs. "_I'll admit you looked lovely before…but the change of attire suits you better. Those legs seemed to have knocked out my assistant. Would you care to explain yourself?" _ Anger flashed finally as he took a step forward, her arms hugging the precious material to her chest. "_Your safe combination is idiotic, who uses their blood type? It's easy to hack." _

Wesker chuckled darkly, smoothing back his blonde locks. "_Really? You couldn't guess it…but I digress. Why are you robbing my office, Angelica? Do not make me ask you again." _ The woman tried to side step, but was met by stiff hands grasping at her shoulders. Looking back to him, his sapphire flames met her gaze, completely making her throat feel dry. "_And if I don't answer? I'm not afraid of the repercussions, but you won't get away with it." _ The amusement left his lips as her words were thrown, his eyes becoming dark and shadowy in the dim light. "_You should be dear heart. You would be surprised what a man like me is capable of…" _

Angelica stiffened. Was he …threatening her? There was an emotion behind his stare that she could not read…as if he was doing something against his will… Her body felt cold, inhuman as she drew back to hit him in the jaw, but the blow never was received. His hand caught her wrist, sending the papers she was holding flying into the air. They both knew why she was there…. "_You do not understand why things are the way they are, Angelica…. The information no longer is your concern…" _ As the papers fell about the room, her body twisted as yet again she tried to land a blow to get away. Her back kick was caught, finally this time her ankle being turned painfully. Forcing her body backwards he jerked her to him, her back flush against his chest. Gripping the elbows that she tried to slam into his sides, Wesker roughly held the woman effectively at bay. "_Marcus is already __**gone**__. You cannot help those who do not wish to be…And of you try to hit me again, I will be forced to break you arm." _ Growling as he leaned over her, the man finally let himself enjoy that fact that she was at his mercy.

This woman had nagged him, bugged him, defied him….and now she was struggling like a fish out of water in his arms. The smell of her perfume hung heavy on the golden strands of hair that wisped across his nose. Her flesh was warm, fiery… All the adrenaline of the night was still running through his veins like a drug, and was possibly the reason why he did his next action. "_Let me go, Wesker." _ Her form wriggled delightfully…her curves… Spinning the female he was wrestling with in mind and body, the man slid his hands down her arms loosely, now gripping forcefully at her hips. Crashing his lips down upon hers even as she still fought, Wesker indulged himself. After all…he had been a good boy and killed Marcus like Spencer had asked….now it was time to be a vvvvery bad man. As his mouth moved upon her, he could feel her heart rate jump. His gloved fingers clawed down her bottom, tearing at the shorts' waist band. Her skin was hot on the outside…oh how warm would she be insid….

"_I saidfff get ooooffffffffffffffffffff!" _ Bucking a knee straight up into his groin, Angelica forced her assailant to hunch over in pain. Leaning back upon the desk, she pushed both her feet flat on his chest, sending the male back into the wall. He snarled as his back cracked upon impact, forcing the winded Wesker to slide down. Angelica snatched what papers were closest, pausing to stare at the injured man. She couldn't tell what would be more sore in the morning…his pride…or his groin.. "_You always try to help people…even if they don't wish to be. Because people like me hold onto believing there is still good in the world…and in people…especially people like you…" _ Wesker grit his teeth as he looked up at her, his chest expanding rapidly in heavy breathing. Taking one last look, Angelica sprinted out of the room, taking the advantage of her fallen enemy.

Wesker did not follow as he stood up minutes later, but merely walked into his outer office. Ada was rubbing the shadowy bruise on her jaw, and shot him a dirty look as he stared at her. "_She was tougher than you led on, Albert. After this I am going to get some dry margaritas at the Ball…will you join me?" _ Staring forwards at the lovely woman, Wesker shook his head as he took the woman by the elbow. "_No…I have another idea…follow me." _

…

After the "movers" had come out with their last load, Brad tiptoed around the loading truck. Going quietly up the stairs, the young man could not help but envision himself humming the "Mission Impossible" theme song. After peeking into the door that the young woman had disappeared through half an hour ago, Vickers decidedly though better of calling for her down the hall. For one, he had no clue as to her name. For two…he didn't want to get shot. After a few seconds of wandering down the hallway, the young man began to believe he had actually dreamed it up…perhaps it was a backfiring vehicle… and this place was too beautiful to have a sinister plot lurking..

But then of course, that wouldn't explain why the woman he was looking for was now running full speed with papers in her arms. Her eyes were wide, cheeks flushed deep rouge. Grabbing him by the arm as she ran past, the teenager was nearly pulled plum off his sneakers. "_We have got to go…haven't much…time…why are you still here anyway!" _ Brad jogged along behind her, trying to keep up as they crashed through the double doors and into the parking lot. Shaking his head as he panted, the man laughed nervously. "_Couldn't leave you behind…seeing as you are alone..and a woman and all…besides it was a good thing right?" _ Angelica didn't even acknowledge as she dove into the back seat. Motioning wildly as he revved the engine, the young woman began to re-dress herself in her formal attire. "_Goo..goo go back to the Mansion. I'm out of time…." _ As she was jerked backwards when he slammed his foot down on the gas pedal, Angelica narrowed her eyes. Her view was out of the back window, and of the moving truck that had been parked there beside them. Three men were moving a oblong, black bag…and it looked like something was leaking from it…


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

As the limo sped into the Mansion's parking lot, Angelica had just slipped on the last of her shoes. Her lips felt bruised and her face flushed as she stumbled from the vehicle. Brad let the window down, his face full of worry and concern as he reached his arm out to hand her the keys she had left in his possession earlier that night. "_Are you sure you are alright, Miss?" _ Nodding as she adjusted her skirting, the woman breathed a sigh of relief. Rolling up the small stack of papers into a tight cylinder, the woman stuffed both articles into her clutch. The silver object bulged, but held none the less. "_Don't you worry about me. Just keep out of sight until the night is over…just trust me. You were amazing…" _ Tipping at his hat as he drove back to his well hidden spot, the young man sped the car out of view. Angelica looked back up at the staircase, not looking forward to ascending it for the second time that evening. Brushing back her long hair, the woman bit her lip. People were already out on the balcony, which meant unless Trent and Lisa had done their jobs, she was going to be questioned as to the late arrival.

When she finally pushed through the double doors, what met her sight made the woman's breath hitch. An ambulance from the town evidently had been called, four specialized paramedics loading Annette Birkin onto a stretcher. Within her arms was a small bundle, tiny arms waving about from the crimson fabric. William looked positively abashed, his hands running through his hair. The man gave her a shocked look as he followed the procession, he smile wide and dazed. "_My baby had a wife…I mean Annette…Sherry…I have to go…I have a daughter…" _ Angelica stood dumbstruck, her blue orbs wide and in disbelief. Sharply she turned, looking for Trent. Lisa came running up as quickly as her dress would allow, roughly grabbing her by the elbow. "_Where have you been…" _ Trevor hissed beneath her breath, her cheeks flushed. Ushering the woman back outside, the pair descended the stairs. Angelica nearly tripped towards the end, a young, Asian man quickly supporting her by the arm. Spencer had been conversing with him by the staircase, and Ashford lazily listening with a glass of alcohol in his hand.

"_Ah..pretty young miss wears too high of heel!" _ The young man smiled as he steadied her, his white teeth shining. Spencer grinned as well, though the smile struck Angelica as…shark like… "_Ah, Doctor Burrows, we were just discussing you with Mr. Okani here. He is our new co-CEO of the Japan branch. The new base will be out of Tokyo." _ The other man smiled, nodding his head vigorously. "_It was my dream to see through my father's legacy, and with Umbrella, we will start a new journey at BioHaz." _ Angelica stopped cold, her eyes scrutizing the three men before her. Where had she heard the name Bio Haz before… "_Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, sir. But I had better get to the hospital to make sure my patient is alright."_

The voice came from the approaching man from the bottom of the staircase, his now clean hand adjusting his thick glasses. Spencer nodded graciously as the small trio moved off, despite the fact that Angelica was looking more and more confused by the minute.

Turning back to the other two men, Spencer's voice lowered itself. "_I have been made aware that our small…problem has been eradicated. Your data will be transferred, Mr. Okani, as promised. The Teska name will be restored once more." _ A cool look came across the young man's face as the former jubilation mask slipped. His sparkling eyes glinted with greed and cunning. "_I am glad that our two companies could rectify the quandary between us, my father was a fool to have throw away such…opportunity." _ Edward Ashford chuckled as he clasped an arm about Okani's shoulders. Leaning in close as the three walked towards the _lower_ entrance, he darkly smiled. "_Ahh good, seeing as the merger is official, we have bee wanting to discuss a pharmaceutical branch in your division. It would be under the company surname of Tricell…"_

…

The hospital lounge was not one's first choice to discuss sensitive information, but none the less it had to be done. After discussing her ordeal with the two of them, Angelica finally had the time to read the actual documents that had been taken. And her worst fears were realized. Not only were funds being siphoned, but many of the various employees that Marcus had dealt with over the years had gone mysteriously missing…. New creatures under the bioweapons committee had been linked to the virus's, and now there was also proof of communication with an outward source that had been interested in buying the very subject matter that she had been working on with him for the last three months. Sinking her head into her hands, Angelica almost burst into tears. All the problems…all the trust …she had even put her job on the line for him…. And he was nothing but a lie. And a lie that seemingly had lost his mind in the end…

"_It just doesn't seem right….everything just doesn't add up. And why would Wesker just give the files to me?" _ Lisa shrugged as she munched on a vending machine snack, her eyes heavy with tiredness. "_Maybe because he figured you couldn't help…" _ Angelica snapped her head back up, the common words striking familiarity. "_That's what he said…does everyone know something I don't?" _

"_You mean other than the fact that Marcus left as of this evening?" _ William Birkin moved in upon the small circle, sitting tiredly down upon the waiting room sofa. Confused looks were shared by all, and all directed at the intruder. "_I am fully aware that you were close with the man, as was I. But the thing was…he had been stealing for quite some time. When the numbers just didn't add up…he had to be terminated. We were going to give him a fond send off, but he took the news too hard and refused to stay a moment longer than he contract allowed. He was packed up and gone by this evening. Wesker and I tried to personally meet with him beforehand, but no such luck." _ Stroking his chin as he looked at Birkin, Trent almost believed the story….almost. Looking over to Angelica, he could see her doubt linger…but exhaustion finally won through. Resigning herself into belief, the woman flopped back into the seat cushion.

"_So he stole an abandoned….just great." _ As William stood back to his feet, the young man patted the woman's shoulder sympathetically. "_You just can't trust people anymore.." _ Trent watched as Birkin moved from the room, keeping close attention to the man's eyes. Something dark was stirring behind them….something murderous…

….

"_Get your clothes on." _

Despite the stern voice, Ada heaved against the desk like someone had stolen the very air from her lungs. As a matter of fact…he had. Wesker had already pulled his trousers back up from where they had fallen about his ankle, his wide hands deftly re-buckling his wide belt. An eyebrow was raised at the panting woman, no sympathy for her state what so ever showing upon his features. He had taken her roughly, refusing to give her the pleasure of seeing his face, only the grip of his hands on the back of her neck as he had slammed his manhood into her. It was the most….glorious….horrifying….painful thing she had endured, and now she wanted to again and again. Looking up hopefully into his eyes as she turned her bare front to him, the woman ran her hand down her chest seductively. "_How bout another go on top of the desk this time, baby…"_

Ada found her shoulders being clasped about, her clothing shoved in her arms, and her slim body placed outside the door. Shaking his head curtly, a gravelly answer came from the pit of Wesker's throat. "_I think not, you would ruin the varnish….Good evening, Miss Wong, your services are no longer required for this evening." _ As the door slammed in her face, the young woman felt the sting of hatred pit into her heart. That man was truly an animal…..and unfortunately…..she loved it..

As he heard the womanly rage be taken out upon the door frame, Wesker sat back into his office chair. She was a solution to another woman's burning itch, and unfortunately she had been a very bad one at that. The uncontrollable desire had been abated, but the ache still lingered. Ada…she was lovely…but not what he had wanted. Her skin wasn't smooth enough, her hair not long enough…she didn't taste right…smell the same…the heat and friction hadn't been so satisfying. Reaching into a drawer, the man withdrew a small, silver cigarette case. The compact lighter flared into life, letting him drag the sweet comfort of nicotine into his lungs. Leaning back as into the leather chair as he took a deep breath, Wesker sighed. He would get her out of his head… So many things he could do to make an Angel fall…but she hadn't quite yet. …. He had to get her out of his head…. After all, an Angel would never love a demon, and with blood on his hands, all he could see with his eyes closed….was red…..

…

"_She's so beautiful…our Sherry…" _

William Birkin was holding his newborn daughter, not really talking to anyone in particular considering Annette had fallen asleep from weariness fifteen minutes beforehand. The little angel within his arms was asleep as well, her pink skin glowing with new life and promise. Kissing her upon the nose, William began to rock her gently back and forth. Sherry was perfect to him…blue eyes…little wisps of blondish brown hair, and the iddy biddiest fingers and toes one could ever see. He had counted them all over and over, yet he could not cease marveling over how small and fragile a human life could be. Human life….

A grim line set at his jaw as he remembered what he had done earlier that night. Looking back over to Annette, a sinking, sick feeling crept into his stomach. But he couldn't worry now…it was all over… And if they ever did find out…he prayed they would understand why he did it… He had done it…for them. Laying the sleeping infant back in its cubicle bed, William fished out the small earbud that was flashing an incoming call. Lifting it to his ear, the man moved just outside the hospital door in order not to wake sleeping wife and child. "_Yes?" _ A soft chuckle came from across the line, one that could only belong to one man. "_Ahhh good to hear your voice, William. Well done on the problem I sent you to deal with…man after my own heart." _ Birkin hissed under his breath at the comment, his patience growing weary and thin. "_What do you want, Spencer? I am at the hospital with my family, can I not have a minute of peace?" _ A snort came from over the line, Spencer's voice growing irritated. "_I have just called to inform you that Trent will be you new department head of viral engineering in the Arklay Facility. You should enjoy his company considering your debt to him…" _ Finally snapping, William Birkin growled. "_I was under the impression I and my family would be going to back to the New York office…you promised after the facility was complete…"_

"_Yes, yes…but all the positions have been filled there during your absence. And I need you here. There will be a pay increase of course…but mentioning your family…it would be in your best interests to stay here where you are asked of." _ William paused at this, his eyes growing large. The man who he had just murdered for …sounded like… "_Are you …threatening me, Spencer?" _

A long, drawn out pause came across the receiver, accompanied by an over dramatic sigh.

"_I am indeed not, just merely stating that it would take several months trying to get your position back in New York. It may not be available for years…who knows. And under that terms..unimployment may imply….and we all know what happens to those who don't take my offers….but the decision is yours, William…just think of your family… Well, good night! Try and get some rest, and oh, Merry Christmas!" _ As the line went dead, William Birkin slumped against the wall. Wesker had been right all along. He would never be able to leave this company alive….

Umbrella was always going to be there….over his head…until the day he died…

Or until the day he ended up like Marcus…..dead by the hands he called "family."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

"_Merry late Christmas!" _

Lisa bounced down the empty hall, small packages in her hands. She and Angelica had been moving their personal belongings into the Estate for several days, and helping the last of their coworkers as well. Trent had mysteriously been gone as of late, and his present lay unopened under the dying tree that Angelica had purchased a couple weeks beforehand. Angelica herself was sitting on the sofa she had accidentally fallen asleep on several months beforehand, her head tiredly in her hands. Running her fingers through the long, let down, blonde hair, the woman fluffed out the strands as she smiled with sleeplessness marking about her eyes.

"_What's this now, Lisa?" _ Trevor sat down next to her friend, gently squeezing her shoulders in a hug. A small, blue box was placed into Angelica's palm; the tiny compartment was covered with velvet. Angelica's eyes were wide as she slowly opened the jewelry container, a sparkling gem catching the dimmed light. It was blood red, a garnet of flawless cut. In the very center were etched angel wings that stretched out in flight. Angelica stared back up at her friend, her mouth falling open in surprise. Lisa smiled back sheepishly, a rosy tint crawling into her cheeks. "_It was going to be for your birthday…but with all the excitement…do…do you like it?" _ Her answer was an engulfing hug as Angelica squeaked happily.

Slowly her nimble fingertips opened the clasp, laying the charm about her neck. Finally she stood, walking with Lisa as they talked about the new facility. The latter was excited beyond means, practically tittering with joy at the fact she got to work there… Angelica on the other hand felt hesitant… Finally stopping as they reached the door way, the pair hugged once more. Lisa turned to head downwards, but halted when she realized her friend was not following. Looking over her shoulder, Lisa raised her eyebrows. "_You coming? I was going to head into town for some coffee…" _ Shaking her head, the other woman lingered back. "_Go on without me… I have something I want to do first. I'll catch up later." _ Trevor nodded, understanding the sentiment.

It took what seemed like forever to get there, her own feet dragging heavy with memories and thoughts. Marcus' lab… it was where she had made and lost her pet friend….it was where she had felt useful and wanted… She could almost see Marcus hunched over in the empty desk chair, writing at his various notes and fiddling with his pen. A few articles were left in the empty, white room, but not many. Empty beakers of the leeches were everywhere as a few workers shuffled about the room, disposing of not needed material. Stopping one of them as she saw a hazard bag being filled, the young woman quietly asked a few questions. "_Excuse me…what is that you are throwing away? I wasn't aware of any hazardous material being left in the room when Doctor Marcus left." _The clean up crewmen looked up, shaking his head. His bushy, grey mustache moved when he talked, almost making Angelica want to smile….well had it not been for what he was just saying. "_No, Ma'am. They leech containers were left behind, so Spencer told us to dispose of them. I suppose the old cook didn't want to take them…" _

Angelica moved off as the man went back to his job, her brow knit together as her mind ticked. Marcus had always bee attached to those creatures, and as a matter of fact..they were the very basis to his research. Why would he leave them behind if he left the company? Exiting the Marcus laboratory for the last time, Angelica Burrows was now convinced more than ever that James Marcus had not been fired after all….

…

Lisa stood in line, mildly shaking her hips to a Bon Jovi song that was playing in the background of the Raccoon City Beanerama. Nearly half way through the line, she noticed two men sitting in the middle table, sharing coffee and laughing jovially. One of them was Wesker… the other…she hadn't a clue…. At first her instinct was to wave and announce her presence, but after a moment's though, the woman knew better. Wesker was still in her bad side for the way he had manipulated her, and she did not want any further attention from that man than one could warrant. None the less, it seemed his eyes were attracted to her, and for a brief moment…it was like he was staring right at her…

Shaking her head as he slipped on a pair of silver aviator sunglasses to shield the sunlight streaming in from the opposite window, the woman coughed lightly. "_Ma'am…Ma'am…are you ready to order?" _ Lisa nearly jumped from surprise, now turning her attention to the confused cashier before her. Smiling and returning back to her every day habit, Lisa Trevor ignored the eating feeling in the pit of her stomach. It just seemed that now when she looked at Albert Wesker….he was no longer the handsome angel she always dreamed of…he looked like more of a monster in her nightmares.

As Lisa exited the coffee shop, Wesker brought his gaze back to the middle aged man before him. The sunglasses had worked well to hide what he actually was staring at, and the over excited man did not even seem to notice. Wesker settled further back into his seat, taking a generous swig of his hot beverage as he listened to the man put out a well thought of budget plan. If Wesker ever thought himself a people person, he thought he could actually…like this man. The individual before him was of stocky build, a well trimmed mustache over his upper lip that made him look wiser beyond his years. He had a brain…and some brawn judging by the enormous biceps the man possessed. He had petitioned the city's committee board for funds of a local task force, one that would ease the crime weight upon the police force. Finally the city had complied, getting their biggest contractor to fund the supplies. The contractor would be…..anonymous to the task force…but it would be Umbrella owned none the less.

Leaning forward in his seat, Wesker clasped his hands together as he straightforwardly looked the other man on the eye. A small smile crept across his face as the other finished his pitch, Wesker's hand extending out to shake the larger man's in agreement. His grin grew wider as the shake signaled their finality of many years to come… "_It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Burton, and I look forward to building the S.T.A.R.S together…."_

…_.._

"_I don't see why he was so unreasonable…but if it's work…it's work.." _

Annette lay in her bed, cradling Sherry to her chest. When she had finally been released from the hospital, William had broken the news to her. She hadn't taken it well, but a dish and two vases later, the woman had finally conceded reason. Sherry was un-phased as she drank her formula filled bottle, but her crisp, azure eyes watched every move that her father seemed to make. Crawling into the bed next to her, William Birkin wrapped his arms about his wife lovingly; thanking the heavens that her outburst had not been taken out on his computer of a briefcase…Whispering in her ear, the man nearly felt his throat close with an onslaught of emotion. "_Do you remember what you said to me the night our Sherry was born? That you would love me no matter what…" _ Annette inclined her head to the side, her eyes clouded with confusion as she stared at her spouse. He had been acting so strangely as of late… "_Yes, of course I do…I promised it…" _ William looked his wife dead in the eye with a look that would haunt her forever. It was as if his soul had been ripped away…

"_Just don't ever promise something you won't keep…"_

…_._

How long had his body laid there….a day? A week? A century? His mind had long been ripped away, but his body still remained something that would fester and grow into new life…

The corps of James Marcus lay rotting at the bottom of a sewage vent, covered in the bile and hatred of humanity that lived in bliss high above. Umbrella had dumped what was left of his remains and work into the abyss, a problem that they would no longer have to deal with….

But they were wrong…. Very wrong.

As the liquid flushed by the body, a squirming creature forced its way out of the dead cadaver's mouth. The leech could barely be called a leech anymore, its body so engorged and large. Triple the size and mass of the normal animal, it rolled across its master's body. A screeching noise somehow was emitted from its form, the sound echoing down in the catacombs. Slowly the waist deep muck became alive and teeming with its fellow brethren, all heading for the shell that was once their 'father.' As the crawling mass covered the man's form, his face became unrecognizable as the living carpet covered everything. The only thing left untouched were the still open eyes….

Slowly…the lids drew down…..and the eyes blinked… James Marcus had one last gift that would be given to him by the creatures he gave life to…

Those creatures….gave life _back._

END

A/N

WHOOOOOOOOOOOT I did enjoy writing this as ever bit as I did Redemption. Also since a few friends on here have talked it over with me (as well as my hubby xD) and it had been decided, I will be doing a sequel to Redemption. It will be coming soon, and it may take Capcom mythos by surprise, but I will try to work it out so that it will be believable? I still have some kinks to iron out of course.

Anyway, Happy Reading!

Angelica Burrows


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Six years later_

The rain had kept him in his apartment for quite some time, secluded and away from his work. Thankfully enough, his work was his home. Trent was pouring through various papers and files when the knock came at his door. He was always a wary one, but none the less he opened the structure despite the time being past any callers. A shadowy form stood upon his porch, nearly soaked and long hair dripping from the moisture pelting it. "_May I come in?" _ Nodding he waved the individual in, and he himself sat back down in his chair. Folding his hands together as the intruder sat, he took off his glasses and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "_Long time no see, Angelica. IT has been quite some time…" _

The woman nodded, her sapphire eyes still burning with the same youthfulness they had always possessed. She was skinnier it seemed, like someone who did not eat because of their job… Her hair was a good deal shorter, yet it still tumbled down her shoulders. At the moment the woman looked akin to a drowned rat… There was also something in her eyes that made him scared… "_Yes, it has…But I wanted to see you the day before I died…" _ Trent immediately snapped to attention, his dark eyes narrowing to glassen slivers. "_Excuse me?" _ Handing over a slip of paper to him, the woman shook her head as she paused to sigh. "_The virus is complete for human testing…you know my contract…I just never thought it would actually happen in my time. " _ Tucking the paper into his other hand, he ignored it momentarily as he watched her face. "_Angelica, you could still back out…why are you doing this?"_

Her almond orbs looked back at him mournfully, and his answer was within their stare. Leaning back into his chair, Trent regarded her carefully. "_This is about Marcus, isn't it? You still haven't given up on that idea of yours.." _ At this Angelica balled her fist together, tears brimming at her eyes. So many years of searching… "_There is something not right…first Marcus suddenly disappears…then Lisa? She and I were close…she would have told me something…people just don't leave, Trent…I'm doing this so I won't become the next to 'leave.' Take a look at that paper….maybe that information will come to good use one day, but I wanted to give it to you before…before." _ Her last word was rephrased as an ending as she stood, her face finally showing a tired smile. As Trent stared at the page, he noted that majority of the passwords riddles she had recorded were not easily solved…how had she … Also the higher up names were quickly scrawled down, along with the positions. Stuffing the paper into his pocket, he stood to send her off. As he hugged her, he could feel the fear in her body… She was afraid of dying…afraid to live… Gruffly whispering into her ear as she stood in the doorway, the former mentor gave his student one last piece of advice. "_Just remember, Angelica….eventually every scientist becomes the experiment…" _ The woman nodded silently as she slipped back out into the rain, her body seemingly melting into the darkness as she disappeared into it.

Trent shut the door quickly, returning to his seat. Holding up the file he had been reading, the man threw it in disgust. Angelica had always trusted him…and now she was going to change..somehow…whether it be in death…or life. And she was going to that fate, not even knowing his true identity…and he had been a coward and not revealed it. Victor Darius stood to look at himself in the hallway mirror, putting on his glasses once more. He looked like his father when he wore them…and in all honestly he really had no need for specs. All these years of infiltration into Umbrella…. To repay a debt that was owed by a murderous son of a bitch. Trent knew Angelica was correct on thinking Marcus had been killed… Ozwell Spencer was the devil…and he knew that personally… The man who called himself Trent could still remember the day that the very man he was now working for had his family killed…gunned down in the name of science. Of but of course…Spencer did not know he was the son of Trent Darius…and he never would until revenge was finally in order.

Pulling out the piece of paper Angelica had given him, Trent scratched out her name an inserted his own. There was no use for such a piece of paper…not yet….maybe one day….

….

The next morning Angelica could feel her stomach drop out from beneath her. Sitting in the prep room awaiting the go ahead from Wesker and Birkin, the woman watched as two lab assistants milled about nervously. They were shooting her scared looks, whispering and talking amongst themselves. Ignoring them finally, she pushed back the feeling of missing Lisa Trevor… It had been two years since their last conversation… perhaps good friends really could outgrow one another in the end…

Pulling out the small journal she had received so many years ago, Angelica looked over to the two who were preparing the saline drip. "_Excuse me…does maybe one of you have a pen I could borrow?" _ The worker nodded, handing over a small writing tool. Angelica slowly wrote as her other arm was strapped down, and administered the needle bag drip.

_'You know, I hated hospitals as a kid. So, If you ask me how_ I _became a top viral engineer at the prestigious Umbrella Corporation; I honestly couldn't tell you._._I guess it honest started as a kid, when a man named Ozwell E. Spencer came to visit my parents. All I can remember is going away to boarding school, and never coming back. The only thing I know is I wanted to do something good…wanted to help people. After starting the job at Umbrella fresh out of college, there was only one condition to my research working conditions. Any human testing would be administered directly to me…._

_Spencer agreed immediately. I guess when looking back on that, I should have viewed that as odd. Eight years later and the need has finally arisen. The type T Progenitor virus has completed it's animal testing and needs a human subject for further analysis…and of course..as requested…that the chance to become a glorified guinea pig in the name of science! We were supposed to help people and attempt to eradicate disease.. We were wrong…'_

Slowing the writing as the other scientist, asked for her other arm, Angelica held up one finger. "_Do me a favor, will you please?" _ The worker nodded, watching his patient intently. "_Of course, what do you need, Doctor Burrows?" _ Hesitating to write her last sentence, Angelica smiled weakly. "_If I die…mail this book to former employee, Lisa Trevor…I want her to have it.." _ The scientist nodded, a perfect mask of emotionless behavior as he held out his hand to retrieve the article. He never told her that Lisa more than likely would never exactly "read" again…

Pressing the pen into the paper once more, Angelica finally said her parting words…

'_My name is Angelica Burrows, codename, Angel Project…and this is how I died…'_

She finished her dying words, finally satisfied with what she had said to her possible reader. She just hoped Lisa still cared…Settling her heart as the lab partner strapped her other arm down, Angelica laid her head back. Those were her last..words….

Or so she thought…..

END

A/N

And you can find Angelica's second story in Resident Evil :Redemption….

Thank you all for reading this prequel! And as I said…I will be making a sequel sometime soon to Redemption!


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